Black Tennis Pros

Obviously hoping to repeat her past victory in Rome (1999), American Venus Williams more than compensated for her slow tournament start today.

At the Internazionali BNL D'Italia Venus pulled it all together and took a much more polished game to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, letting up only when the match was over. At the end of the assault Radwanska was defeated 6-1, 6-2.

Post match Venus said, "With every match I'm improving and learning from my mistakes."

Venus will now face World No. 1 Dinara Safina of Russia in the semifinals.

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ESTORIL, Portugal (AFP) — America's James Blake booked his first claycourt quarter-final in more than a year with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 defeat of France's Marc Gicquel at the Estoril Open on Thursday.

Blake, now 2-2 on the surface which has traditionally been his downfall, claimed his second victory in as many days at the Estadio Nacional as his game springs to life with the French Open approaching in just over a fortnight.

The 29-year-old has not appeared in a last-eight lineup on clay since May last year when he lost in Rome to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

"It's a good feeling, I really like the way I'm playing," said Blake, 11-8 on the season. "I'm now playing my style and it feels great.

"Even if I'd not won two in a row, I would have been satisfied with my game. I was really going for my shots."

The American is playing in his third clay event of the season after losing openers in both Houston and Rome. But his Wednesday first-round win over Portuguese number one Frederico Gil gave him the boost he needed.

Fourth seed Blake overcame nine aces off Gicquel's racquet, producing five of his own and saving the only break point that he faced.

Blake broke twice in the 79-minute contest which puts him into a quarter-final against French eighth seed Florent Serra who defeated Argentine Juan Monaco 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

"He beat me pretty bad on clay (Rome, 2006)," said the American. "He's a tough competitor and I certainly don't expect him to roll over - but that won't happen with me either.

"I'm confident in my game and I like my chances if I keep playing like this."

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In just its second season fielding a World TeamTennis franchise, Washington will host the professional tennis league's championship finals this summer.

The Washington Kastles once again will play their seven home matches on the site of the city's former convention center, 11th and H streets NW, at a 3,000-seat stadium that's roughly 30 percent bigger than the one constructed for the team's inaugural season.

In addition, Washington will host the 2009 Advanta WTT Championships finals on July 26.

The Kastles' seven-game home stand opens July 7 with a visit from former world No. 1 Venus Williams, who competes for the Philadelphia Freedom. That's just three days after Wimbledon women's final is schedule to be played. Venus is a five-time and defending champion of the grass-court classic.

For a second consecutive year, Serena Williams headlines the Kastles' roster, but she won't be in the lineup for a head-to-head meeting with her elder sister. Serena's lone home match for the Kastles will be July 14.

Other top names visiting Washington to take on this Kastles this summer include John McEnroe and Anna Kournikova.

Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m., available through the team's Web site, www.washingtonkastles.com and Ticketmaster. Group and box seats can be bought by phone, 202-483-6647.

The Kastles home schedule is below:

July 7 -- Philadelphia Freedom (Venus Williams)

July 8 -- St. Louis Aces (Anna Kournikova)

July 12 -- N.Y. Buzz

July 14 -- Newport Beach Breakers (Serena Williams' only home match)

July 16 -- N.Y. Sportimes (John McEnroe)

July 21 -- N.Y. Buzz

July 22 -- Springfield Lasers

July 26 -- Advanta WTT Championship Finals

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At the Internazionali BNL D'Italia today American Venus Williams grimaced, chewed her finger nail, grunted, fell down and more; but most importantly, she won.

The third round match against Russian Anna Chakvetadze was no less involved than Venus' second round match against the Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova. It took Venus nearly 2 1/2 hours to defeat Chakvetadze 6-0, 6-7(8/10), 6-4.



At the end of the first set I was positive that Venus would probably relinquish maybe one or two games in the second set, but it would be over quickly - not so. Venus' double faults and errors increased and Chakvetadze did what she could to take advantage. It was not the best looking match I've ever seen.

Nonetheless, Venus prevailed, and no matter how you break it down, victory is all that really matters.

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OEIRAS, Portugal -- James Blake recovered from a poor start to defeat Frederico Gil 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 Wednesday in the first round of the Estoril Open.

Blake struggled with his serve in the first set, while Gil won three of his service games at love and broke the American in the 11th game.

Blake improved in the second, but had to save a break point in the fifth game and looked uncomfortable in long baseline rallies. In the third, Blake broke the 68th-ranked Gil in the second game and withstood three break points chances in the next game.

"It was very tough," said the 16th-ranked Blake. "I just hung in, I've got a lot of experience, and things started going my way."

I thought that we were going to have to have alter call on this brother, we may still have to, but not today.

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SINGLES

Round 1

Venus Williams, USA vs. Bye

Serena Williams, USA vs. Bye

Round 2

Venus Williams, USA defeated Lucie Safarova, CZE
6-2, 4-6, 6-2

Serena Williams, USA defeated by Patty Schnyder, SUI
2-6, 6-2, 1-6

Round 3

Venus Williams, USA defeated Anna Chakvetadze, RUS
6-0, 6-7(8), 6-4

Quarterfinal Round

Venus Williams defeated Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
6-0, 6-2

Semifinal Round

Venus Williams, USA defeated by Dinara Safina, RUS
7-6(3), 3-6, 4-6


DOUBLES

Round 1

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated
Petra Cetkovska, CZE and Ma. Emilia Salerni, ARG
3-6, 6-3 [10/5]

Quarterfinal Round

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated
Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU and Neuza Silva, POR
7-5, 1-6 [10/4]

Semifinal Round

Raquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated
Julie Coin, FRA and Marie-Eve Pelletier, CAN
3-6, 7-5, [10/3]

Final
Racquel Kops-Jones, USA and Abigail Spears, USA
defeated
Sharon Fichman, CAN and Katalin Marosi, HUN
2-6, 6-3, [10/5]


Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Alexandra Stevenson, USA


SINGLES

Round 1

James Blake, USA defeated Frederico Gil, POR
5-7, 6-4, 6-2

Round 2

James Blake, USA defeated Marc Giquel, FRA
7-6(6), 6-2

Quarterfinal Round

James Blake, USA, defeated Florent Serra, FRA
6-4, 6-1

Semifinal Round

James Blake, USA vs. Nikolay Davydenko, RUS


DOUBLES

Round 1

James Blake, USA and Robert Kendrick, USA
defeated
Teimuraz Gabashvili, RUS and Diego Junqueira, ARG
6-3, 3-6 [11/9]


SINGLES

Round 1

Mashona Washington, USA defeated (Q)Brooke Bolender, USA
6-4, 6-4

Ahsha Rolle, USA defeated by (Q)McCall Jones, USA
4-6, 0-4, Ret'd

Danielle Mills, USA defeated by Rebecca Marino, CAN
2-6, 3-6

Round 2

Mashona Washington, USA defeated by Melanie Oudin, USA
1-6, 4-4, Ret'd

Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Tiya Rolle, USA


DOUBLES

Round 1

Danielle Mills, USA and Jessica Pegula, USA
defeated by
Carmen Klaschka, GER and Laura Siegemund, GER
1-6, 3-6

Ahsha Rolle, USA and Alexandra Mueller, USA
defeated by
Heidi El Tabakh, CAN and Melanie Klaffner, AUT
6-7(5), 2-6

Tiya Rolle, USA and Natalia Guitler, BRA
defeated by
Gail Brodsky, USA and Alison Riske, USA
5-7, 1-6

Mashona Washington, USA and Story Tweedie-Yates, USA
defeated by
Gabriela Dabrowski, CAN and Nicole Rottmann, AUT
1-6, 4-6


SINGLES

Round 1

Nicholas Monroe, USA defeated by (Q)Christopher Klingemann
2-6, 7-5, 4-6

Donald Young, USA defeated by Jonathan Dasnieresde Veigy, FRA
6-3, 0-6, 4-6

Scoville Jenkins, USA defeated by (WC)Jesse Witten, USA
02 Ret'd


Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Phillip Simmonds, USA


DOUBLES

Round 1

Donald Young, USA and Vladimir Obradovic, SRB
defeated by
Victor Estrella, DOM and Marcel Felder, URU
5-7, 4-6

Nicholas Monroe, USA and Brian Battistone, USA
defeated
Ramon Delgado, PAR and Santiago Gonzales, MEX
6-4, 6-4

Quarterfinal Round

Nicholas Monroe, USA and Brian Battistone, USA
defeated by
Alex Kuznetsov, USA and Fritz Wolarans, RSA
2-6, 3-6


SINGLES

Round 1

Evan King, USA defeated by Stefano Ianni, ITA
6-4, 4-6, 2-6

Devin Mullings, BAH defeated by Philip Bester, CAN
2-6, 3-6

Marcus Fugate, USA defeated Zachary Ganger, USA
6-1, 6-2

Timothy Neilly, BAH defeated (Q)Ytai Abougzir, USA
6-1, 6-3

Todd Paul, USA defeated by Ryan Harrison, USA
4-6, 3-6

Round 2

Marcus Fugate, USA defeated Rhyne Williams, USA
6-3, 7-5

Timothy Neilly, BAH defeated by Gregory Ouellette, USA
5-7, 1-3, Ret'd

Quarterfinal Round

Marcus Fugate defeated Gregory Ouellette, USA
6-3, 0-6, 7-5


Eliminated during singles qualifying rounds:

Jarmere Jenkins, USA


DOUBLES

Round 1

Jarmere Jenkins, USA and Ryan Harrison, USA
defeated
Louis Ballantyne, GBR and Nathan Pasha, USA
6-3, 6-3

Devin Mullings, BAH and Dennis Zivkovic, USA
defeated by
Ruben Gonzales, USA and Andrea Siljestrom, SWE
3-6, 4-6

Marcus Fugate, USA and Paul Todd, USA
defeated
Kevin Arias, USA and John Valentine, USA
6-2, 6-0

Quarterfinal Round

Jarmere Jenkins, USA and Ryan Harrison, USA
defeated by
Luigi D'Agord, ITA and Christian Guevara, USA
4-6, 6-1 [8/10]

Marcus Fugate, USA and Paul Todd, USA
defeated
Jonathan David, CAN and Kamil Pajkowski, CAN
6-3, 6-2

Semifinal Round

Marcus Fugate, USA and Paul Todd, USA
defeated
Ruben Gonzales, USA and Andreas Siljestrom, SWE
7-6(3), 7-6(2)

Final

Marcus Fugate, USA and Paul Todd, USA
defeated
Philip Bester, CAN and Gregory Ouellette, USA

6-4, 6-1

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Well, there's really not a whole lot to be said here - American Serena Williams came to Rome, re-crowned herself the "real" world no. 1 and found herself on the losing end of a clay-court smackdown - it's all in the game.

In case you missed it, which I highly doubt, during her press conference on Monday at the Internazionali BNL D'Italia Serena stated, "We all know who the real No. 1 is. Quite frankly, I'm the best in the world."

I still don't have any trouble with that statement even after Tuesday's loss. The problem is, when you trash talk before a game, it always looks better if you win ... then the trash talking isn't quite so trashy.

Swiss Miss Patty Schnyder took her clay-court game to Serena with much less fanfare prior to the match and defeated her 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.

Although Serena made no mention of her recent injury, she was either still hampered by it, or she's really got to get her clay-court legs together.

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