Black Tennis Pros

After winning the South African Open title earlier this month, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is right back into another final at the Open 13 Tournament in Maseille, France.

Tsonga put his big game on display once again in today's semifinal and barreled over Serbian Novak Djokovic for the fourth time. The Frenchman took the first set in just under a half hour! The win came in at 6-4, 7-6(1)

“I told myself I had to go for it,” Tsonga said in a courtside interview.

"It’s amazing, I played unbelievably. Novak did a very good job today so it was tough to beat him. For me, it was my best match since the start of the year and I’m really happy about that. I hope tomorrow I will win and take the trophy."

“I have played an extraordinary match. I have been heroic on every important point. I am proud of having played such a match.”

Tsonga will meet fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in the final on Sunday.

Read the rest of this post...........

After a 6-4, 6-2 win over France's Virginie Razzano, American Venus Williams took her 40th career title and returned to the world's top five at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships today.

Venus has displayed excellent mental and physical form since hitting the courts in 2009. That same look and precision game was evident today. The match consisted of great hitting and impressive rallies. Razzano was definitely no fluke getting to the final, she put forward a very strategic defense, though it never seemed to be enough to diminish the power coming at her from the other side of the net.

Post match Venus said, "It was a great week to be able to win against the world's best player, my sister."

When asked about the possibility of getting back to world no. 1 Venus said, "well I would love to be the best in the world - and I am coming. So I am going to try."

With regard to Razzano Venus said, "I have to congratulate her, she beat some top players and played well again today."

Congrats Venus!

Read the rest of this post...........

Celebrate Black History Month And Tennis with Charity Auction to Support Apollo Theater

In honor of Black History Month, Time Warner Cable, HBO and Target have teamed up for a one of a kind charity auction to benefit the historic Apollo Theatre in New York City. Exclusive VIP experiences and signed memorabilia are being auctioned off – with all proceeds benefiting the Apollo Theater Foundation, the non-profit organization helping to preserve and develop the legendary Apollo Theater. This is your chance to gets your hands on two tickets to the tennis event of the year – the Billie Jean King Cup! The upcoming March 2^nd event, which celebrates tennis legend Billie Jean King –will feature Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic for the inaugural BNP Paribas Showdown. Designed to honor King's place in tennis history and promote youth tennis as part of "Tennis Night in America", the Showdown will be broadcast live on HBO. Bid on VIP tickets for two for this tennis extravaganza, which even includes tickets the HBO Sports Sponsored VIP Reception! Can’t make it to the event? No problem, you can bid on two brand-new tennis balls signed by the Williams Sisters themselves, along with a racket signed exclusively by Serena! Check it out at www.ebay.com/supportapollo and show your support for the women of tennis!

VIP Tickets to the Billie Jean King Cup

Serena Williams Signed Tennis Racquet

Read the rest of this post...........

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took it to Spaniard Feliciano Lopez defeating him 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 at the Marseille Open on Friday.

In doing so, Tsonga set up what is sure to be another fabulous match to watch against Serbian Novak Djokovic. Tsonga and Djokovic met four times last year with Tsonga winning three of those matches.

Read the rest of this post...........

In a little over two hours and a gripping toe-to-toe battle that ended in a tiebreak, American Venus Williams defeated younger sister Serena 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(3) to move into the final of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.

Venus took the match to Serena full force from the very beginning. It looked as if there would be no stopping her... not so. Serena pulled it together in the second set and turned the beat around on Venus, at which time it appeared as if she would run away with the match... again, not so. Both ladies hit the ground running in the third set and it was a pure battle until the tiebreak when Venus took over and took the match. It was time well spent watching.

Post match Venus said "Obviously Serena is number one, but I think we are the best in the world."

I agree with Venus, now I can't wait to hear the dramatic statements that will flow from the commentators mouths in response.

"There are other great players but it would have been better if the two best are in the final. I would definitely be more pleased if it were a final. But I guess I will have to keep working on my ranking," continued Venus.

When asked about the difficulty of playing Serena Venus said, "you know I am always the big sister. I have to stay focused when I am out there. I can't worry too much whether she is okay. She's an unbelievable player. So I have two problems out there."

Before the match, Venus looks like she's hiding a surprise for baby sister.

Read the rest of this post...........

At the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships both American super sisters Venus and Serena Williams will be slugging it out in the semifinals... against one another.

To set up this semifinal match the sisters first had to get by very able quarterfinal opponents. Serena took out Serbian Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-4, and Venus knocked out defending champion Russian Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-3.

Of Ivanovic, Serena said, "she was really trying to hit hard. I think her goal was to go for broke. I was feeling a bit tired at the start of the second set, but wasn't too worried about her going 3-0 up as I knew I was just a break down. I knew I could pull it off."

On Dementieva's game Venus said, "she has been playing great this year and she is a great player. She likes to control the match, and I also like doing the same. So, I am pleased that I was able to do that."

With regard to the two of them meeting, Serena said "we are both the best players on the tour right now. Obviously, we both are also playing our best tennis right now, which definitely makes our matches more exciting."

I'm rollin' with Venus for the smackdown!!

Read the rest of this post...........

MIDLAND, Mich. -- Ahsha Rolle of Miami Shores, Fla., is seeking to regain the drive and motivation that led her to the third round of the US Open in 2007.

Travel and life on the road as a professional tennis player can be tough, and Rolle admitted during the Dow Corning Tennis Classic in Midland, Mich., that she is in need of a little pick-me-up.

She sat down with USTA.com and talked about her recent play.

USTA.com: You lost in the singles qualifying at Midland. How would you assess your game right now?

Ahsha Rolle: This is my third tournament of the year, and I made the singles and doubles in my first event and lost in the second round at Lutz, Fla. I don’t know. I’m not playing too good right now, and I don’t have much confidence. I don’t know why. It’s such a tough lifestyle. I’m just not feeling very inspired. I had two pretty big injuries last year that kept me off the court for about four months. I’ve just tried to come back and get in shape, but it hasn’t gone so well. It was a very tough year for me. I have to get in better shape and get my confidence up.

USTA.com: Who were some of your role models growing up?

Ahsha Rolle: I liked watching Venus and Serena play. Of course, they were very big role models for me. Lori McNeil, also.

USTA.com: What are your thoughts on February being Black History Month?

Ahsha Rolle: I definitely observe it. You always have to take time and remember the people who paved the way for you. We have a black president now, and that’s something I’m very excited about. It’s a great month.

USTA.com: Talk more about what having a black president of the United States means to you?

Ahsha Rolle: It’s really exciting because as an African-American you tell your kids you can become anything, but there was never a black president, so now you can really tell your kids you can be anything and mean it.

USTA.com: What about the inauguration?

Ahsha Rolle: It was an important day for me. I watched it with my dad. It was just really special -- something I’ll never forget. On election night we were at a tournament, and some of the girls watched it on TV with (USTA supervisor) Bunny (Williams) and (USTA referee) Missy (Malool). It was really nice.

Read the rest of this post...........

American James Blake slugged it out with Australian Lleyton Hewitt at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, Tennessee on Wednesday. After more than two hours, Blake was defeated 6-3, 1-6, 4-6.

‘‘I didn’t take advantage of my chances and he did. In the first set, he didn’t come up with his best on break points. From then on he did. And from then on I didn’t.’’



Frenchman Gael Monfils became the first major upset of the Open 13 in Marseilles, France. Fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu defeated Monfils 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

"It was a rotten game, I didn't play," said Monfils.



At the Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships American Venus Williams defeated Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-2.

"I made more errors than yesterday," Williams said. "I rushed a little bit in the first set and then realized it in the second and started pulling back a little bit on my shots."



At the same tournament as sister Venus, American Serena Williams defeated China's Jie Zheng for the third straight time 6-4, 6-2.

"I think the intensity was high today, but my first serve could have been better," Williams said. "I had to rely a lot on my second serve. I definitely could do better technically."



Also at the Open 13, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Kazakh Andrey Golubev 7-6 6-2.

"Last year, I lost in the first round to Mario Ancic. This time I'm still alive but I think Golubev lost all by himself because he served for the first set at 6-5 and failed to win important points."

Photos by AP/Getty Images

Read the rest of this post...........