Black Tennis Pros

MIAMI, March 25 (Reuters) - Serena Williams believes the United States needs to get more tour events if it is to address the lack of American women in the top 100 -- and she could be willing to play a role in bringing about that change.

The world number one is followed by her sister Venus, number six in the rankings, but the only other American women in the top 100 are Bethanie Mattek (37) and Jill Craybas (85).

The anticipated flood of talent following the emergence of the high-profile Williams sisters has not happened with the rankings dominated by East Europeans -- or as Serena puts it: "It seems like there are 12 Russians in the top 10".

"I just think, when I was growing up there were lots more tournaments in the United States, a lot more American players, now there are five or six tournaments and no American players.

"You don't see the players, they are in Europe and Asia which is where all the players are coming from," Williams told Reuters in an interview arranged by the WTA Tour's sponsor Sony Ericsson.

In recent years, a popular WTA tournament in San Diego has been dropped and Williams said this could have a knock on effect on attracting young girls to the sport.

"We have got to get tournaments back, like San Diego which was well established but was cancelled. Those tournaments were the ones I grew up watching. I grew up going to (the event at) UCLA because it was close to me. My Dad would take us there and I wanted to be a tennis player because of going there," she said.

ENTICE TALENT

The 27-year-old Williams said she could be interested in a role, after her playing days are over, trying to entice tournaments back to the U.S and developing young talent.

"That could be interesting it would be fun to get a lot of support back -- that is the only way we will get the players," she said.

Williams though has not completely given up hope on the next generation of players making the breakthrough.

"There are a few American players coming up, they are really, really young and haven't got attention yet and you never know.

"I didn't get much attention when I was very young, I came out of nowhere. I am hoping the same thing can happen," she said.

Despite her sadness at the decline of U.S. tennis, Williams boycotts one of the biggest events in Indian Wells -- where she was jeered by the crowd in 2001 after Venus pulled out of a semi-final clash with her sister.

Although that event has become one of the new mandatory tournaments, with penalties for non-attendance, Williams skipped this year's edition and says she has no intention of ever returning.

"I don't play Indian Wells, I haven't played it for forever and I will never play it again. After that bad experience there is no need for me to go back, I've been there and I left in glory," she said.

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

Serena Williams announced this week that she's partnering with the Home Shopping Network (HSN) to launch her new line of accessories and clothing called Signature Statement.

The collection will feature a wide range of jewelry, handbags and knits, starting around $29.95 and topping out at $100.

"I always want to make a statement both on and off the court," Williams told Women's Wear Daily. "One of my dreams has always been to share gorgeous gifts of fashion and luxury with the world. Off the court, my passion is fashion. Signature Statement is my own line of accessories and fashion, complete from jewelry to dresses."

The collection will be available April 30 and be exclusive to HSN. Williams has already been running her Aneres clothing line for the last five years, which is available in most department stores.

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

FEDERER RECEIVES DOUBLE HONOUR

Roger Federer continues to shine as the fairest and most popular player on the ATP World Tour after the 2008 ATP World Tour Awards were announced in Miami today. Fellow players voted Federer the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for a record fifth consecutive year. Only Edberg himself won the award five times (over eight years). And in a poll of fans, Federer for the sixth consecutive year was voted ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite.

Of his dual honours, Federer said: “It is great to receive two more awards. It is always important for me to be a good sportsman on the court and give the right example for others to follow and hopefully inspire the next generation. It also means the world to me to be the fans’ favourite player for the sixth year in a row. The support I receive from the fans around the world is so motivating and it is humbling to receive this award once again."

ATP World Tour Champion Rafael Nadal and ATP World Tour Doubles Team Champions Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic were announced as the Player of the Year and Doubles Team of the Year respectively.

James Blake won the prestigious Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award for his many charitable efforts, including several fundraising initiatives for cancer research.


Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Of The Year

James Blake: In the summer of 2008, James Blake announced the creation of the Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Research Fund at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, with the goal of raising $1 million for cancer research within 12 months. Important fundraising initiatives include his tennis charity exhibition Anthem LIVE! and the J-Block merchandise program. Blake also helps to raise funds for the Harlem Junior Tennis Program and hosts the organisation’s annual fundraising event each year.

Most Improved

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (No. 43 to No. 6): The top Frenchman broke into the Top 10 with two titles, including his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 shield in Paris. He made an impressive showing at the year’s first Grand Slam, upsetting No. 9 Murray, No. 8 Gasquet and No. 2 Rafael Nadal before falling to No. 3 Djokovic in the Australian Open final. The 23 year old missed three months of the season after undergoing right knee surgery in May, but compiled a 16-4 record upon his return. He won his first ATP World Tour title in Bangkok (d. Djokovic), and beat three Top 10 opponents – Djokovic, Roddick and Nalbandian – to win the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris and clinch a Tennis Masters Cup berth. Tsonga won 20 more matches than the previous season, best among the Top 10.

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

KEY BISCAYNE, FL - MARCH 25: Serena Williams and other ladies of the WTA talk to the media during day three of the Sony Ericsson Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 25.

Ana Ivanovic, Serbia

Venus Williams, USA

Vera Zvonareva, Russia

Photos by Al Bello/Getty Images

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

KEY BISCAYNE - MARCH 24: Fernando Gonzalez (C), Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (L) and Nenad Zimonjic (R) feed the dolphins at the Miami Seaquarium prior to the Sony Ericsson Open on March 24, 2009 in Key Biscayne, Florida.

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

WTA

SINGLES

Round 1

Serena Williams, USA vs. BYE

Venus Williams, USA vs. BYE


Round 2

Serena Williams, USA defeated (WC) Alexa Glatch, USA
6-2, 6-3

Venus Williams, USA defeated Shahar Peer, ISR
6-3, 6-3


Round 3

Serena Williams, USA defeated Shuai Peng, CHN
7-5, 6-2

Venus Williams, USA defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld, GER
7-5, 6-3


Round 4

Serena Williams, USA defeated Jie Zheng, CHN
7-5, 5-7, 6-3

Venus Williams, USA defeated Agnieska Radwanska, POL
4-6, 6-1, 6-4


Quarterfinal Round

Serena Williams, USA defeated Na Li, CHN
4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2

Venus Williams defeated Iveta Benesova, CZE
6-1, 6-4


Semifinal Round

Serena Williams, USA defeated Venus Williams, USA
6-4, 3-6, 6-3


Championship Round

Serena Williams, USA defeated by Victoria Azarenka, BEL
3-6, 1-6



DOUBLES

Round 1

Sloane Stephens, USA and Christina McHale, USA
defeated by
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA and Nadia Petrova, RUS
2-6, 6-2, [10/2]

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated
Klaudia Jans, POL and Alicja Rosolska, POL
6-4, 6-4


Round 2

Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated
Alona Bondarenko, UKR and Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
6-4, 6-4


Quarterfinal Round

Racquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated by
Kveta Peschke, CZE and Lisa Raymond, USA
6-3, 6-2



ATP

SINGLES

Round 1

Gael Monfils, FRA vs. BYE

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA vs. BYE

James Blake, USA vs. BYE


Round 2

Gael Monfils, FRA defeated Michael Russell
6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated Agustin Calleri, ARG
6-1, 6-1

James Blake, USA defeated Julien Benneteau, FRA
6-4, 6-4


Round 3

Gael Monfils, FRA defeated Marat Safin, RUS
5-7, 7-5, 7-6(3)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated Robert Kendrick, USA
7-5, 6-4

James Blake, USA defeated by Tomas Berdych, CZE
4-6, 7-6(3), 3-6


Round 4

Gael Monfils, FRA defeated by Andy Roddick, USA
6-7(2), 4-6

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated Gilles Simon, FRA
6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2


Quarterfinal Round

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA defeated by Novak Djokovic, SER
3-6, 4-6

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

In a move that will reverberate in both college athletics and professional tennis, the Pacific 10 Conference announced on Tuesday that Larry Scott, the chief executive and chairman of the Women’s Tennis Association, would become its new commissioner.

On July 1, Scott will replace Tom Hansen, who announced his retirement last year after a 26-year run in the job. Scott said it was difficult to leave the W.T.A., where he worked for equality in pay for women’s players, record sponsorship deals and an increase in worldwide television exposure.

Scott acknowledges that’s he’s not a traditional candidate, coming from outside college sports, but said his experience with both the W.T.A. and the men’s tour before that have prepared him for the job.

“They were looking for a different kind of leader from, let’s say, other conferences typical in this position,” Scott said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. “They see this as a turning point for the Pac-10 and are looking for a new approach to promoting and branding the conferences as well as television and sponsorships.”

Read Full Article Here

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

MIAMI - MARCH 23: American Venus Williams and Andy Murray of Great Britain play a game of traffic tennis on Ocean Drive prior to the Sony Ericsson Open on March 23, 2009 in Miami, Florida.

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