Black Tennis Pros

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EAST HANOVER, N.J., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It may be the season for New Year's resolutions, but the Williams sisters still enjoy their favorite snack-cessories. Fashion-minded tennis champions Venus Williams and Serena Williams are working with Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs to show people everywhere what it means to snack with style.

Together with the brand, Venus and Serena are launching a new "Diet Like A Diva" contest - a national search to find people who add fun and flair to their snacking routine. Maintaining a "Diet Like a Diva" is a way to enjoy your snacks, while still watching your portions.

With 16 varieties, the Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs line of portion-controlled snacks, including the new Yogurt Flavored Pretzels (on shelves this month), makes snacking fun and convenient.

"Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs make it a cinch to stay on track, whether I'm at home or on the road heading to a tournament," said Venus Williams. "And, enjoying the classic snacks we all know and love, like Oreo Mini Cakesters and Chips Ahoy Fudge Drizzle Cookies, is what living like a diva is all about."



The Champion of Snacking Ideas

Beginning today, savvy snackers can log on to DietLikeADiva.com to submit a video about how they add fun and flair to their sensible snacking routine. Eight winners will experience a glamorous fashion photo shoot with the tennis superstars this March, featuring the latest in fashion and snacking. The photos will be featured in a spread in several Conde Nast publications.

"I know there are women out there like me who are living life to the fullest and aren't interested in depriving themselves of tastes they enjoy," added Serena Williams. "I think it's going to be great to see who enters and I know Venus and I will have a blast with the divas in March!"

Game, Set, Match, Snack

The key to living sensibly within your diet, while making it fun, is to have snacking options that fit an on-the-go lifestyle. The Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs line of stylish snacks features 16 different varieties. From savory to sweet to a combination of both, there's something for everyone.

"Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs continue to be the trendsetter for sensible snacking," said Steve Siegal, senior brand manager for Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs. "Venus and Serena embody women who know what it's like to snack with flair, and with the contest, we look forward to learning how Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs enable others to do the same."

Those interested in knowing more about what it means to "Diet Like a Diva" and to enter the contest through Feb. 10, 2010, can visit www.DietLikeADiva.com. The new site is packed with tips, videos with the Williams sisters, a monthly sweepstakes and more. Become a fan of www.facebook.com/Nabisco100Cal.

Diet Like A Diva



Divas On Fitness



Divas On Snacking



Divas On Divas

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HONG KONG — American champion Venus Williams beat teenaged Danish sensation Caroline Wozniacki in a Hong Kong exhibition match Thursday which was shortened to one set because of rain.

Williams, 29, got off to a slow start, trailing the 19-year-old Wozniacki 3-1 before a series of aces and blistering groundstrokes helped her pull ahead, winning the set 6-4.

Williams, a seven time Grand Slam winner, said she was happy with her performance against the Dane, who is ranked fourth in the world.

"I felt pretty good playing against such a competitive player," Williams told reporters.

"She plays so well."

The American struggled for much of 2009, losing her Wimbledon crown to sister Serena and then crashing out of the Beijing Open in October.

Earlier Thursday, Belarussian Victoria Azarenka, 20, beat Argentine Gisela Dulko, 24, by a 6-1 margin.


The Hong Kong tournament features four teams with three players each -- representing Russia, Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific -- in singles and mixed doubles play. The tournament wraps up Saturday.

On Wednesday, former world number one Russian Maria Sharapova pulled off a comeback win against China's Zheng Jie 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, while Russia's Vera Zvonareva easily overpowered Japanese newcomer Ayumi Morita, beating her 6-2, 6-2 in just over an hour.

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Over at Tennis.com Peter Bodo reports in an 'Exclusive' that both Americans James Blake and Andy Roddick will be no shows for 2010 Davis Cup play.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the U.S. Davis Cup team will be without stalwarts Andy Roddick and James Blake when it travels to face powerful Serbia in a first-round tie in Belgrade in March. “It certainly appears to be the end of era,” U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe told TENNIS Thursday. “But the door will always remain open to both of those guys in the event they decide they want to play again.”

Roddick and Blake have both decided to leave Davis Cup off their 2010 schedules. McEnroe has yet to name the squad he plans to take to Serbia for the tie against a powerful Serbian team led by world No. 3. The U.S. singles players most likely to be selected are Sam Querrey and John Isner, although that could change in the next few weeks, depending on the performance of the U.S. players in Australia. Mardy Fish is also high on McEnroe's list of Davis Cup candidates. Serbia will be heavily favored given that it will be contested on slow red clay.

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Good thing for Blake? Hmmmmmm.......

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American Davis Cup teammates James Blake and Andy Roddick advanced to the doubles semifinal round of the Brisbane International after defeating the Brazilian doubles team of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares 7-6(3), 6-4.

Blake and Roddick will now face Frenchmen Jeremy Chardy and Marc Giquel for a shot at the final.

Big Davis Cup news on theses two here...

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BRISBANE, Australia — Gael Monfils produced tennis of the highest quality to see off an equally impressive James Blake in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International on Thursday.

Playing with his right shoulder heavily strapped, the mercurial Frenchman broke Blake at a crucial stage of the third set to clinch a thrilling match 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.


The two men duelled for one and three quarter hours, serving powerfully and producing some crunching groundstrokes, and for a long time it was hard to see who would finish on top.

But at 3-3 in the final set the 30-year-old Blake faltered slightly and with the game poised at 30-40, Monfils struck a beautiful backhand passing shot to leave the American stranded.

Blake refused to concede and he had a chance to break back immediately, but Monfils clung on and eventually wrapped up the quarter-final on his fourth match point, celebrating by beating his chest with his fist in sheer delight.

"He had a good start and was hitting the ball well," Monfils said.

"I started with the wrong tactic -- I was hitting the ball to his forehand and James just didn't miss.

"But I think James began to spray it more and he gave me a chance to get more aggressive and try a few more shots, and I think that was the key to the match."

He also said there was no problem with his shoulder, despite the heavy strapping.

"Today was a bit better (than in the second round) because I found a good way to tape it ... tomorrow will be a lot better for sure."


Monfils will now play Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the semi-finals after the second seed kept alive his hopes of defending his title with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 win over Wayne Odesnik of the U.S.

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Herald Sun (Australia) - Former world No. 4 James Blake today continued his tennis revival, fighting from three match points down to grab a quarter-final berth at the Brisbane International.

Blake, who finished out of the year-end top 25 for the first time in five years, escaped with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8) win over France's Marc Gicquel in a second round match at Pat Rafter Arena.

The American will play another Frenchman for a place in the semi-finals, either third seed Gael Monfils or Florent Serra.

Blake, who is currently ranked 40 places lower than his career best, kept the match points against him in the third set tiebreak tight and Gicquel made errors on each of the three points.

Then the Frenchman made another groundstroke error when trying to keep the ball in play on Blake's first match point at 9-8.

"I was not going to let him beat me," Blake said afterwards. "You play your best when you have a clear mindset. I would prefer to win in two and two but it is good to get some tough match-ups in the lead up to a Grand Slam."




BRISBANE - Third seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils overcame a shoulder injury and a tenacious Florent Serra to make his way into the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International on Wednesday.

Serra played some inspired tennis to push Monfils right to the limit, before appearing to tire in the decider and allow his higher-ranked countryman to run away with the match 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.

Monfils was forced to call for the trainer at the end of the first set and had his shoulder heavily strapped during the time-out.

The injury seemed to take its toll as Serra opened up a 3-0 lead at the start of the second, but Monfils fought back and took the set to a tiebreak, before running away with the third.

"I pulled my muscle a bit last week," he said of his shoulder injury.

"Last week I did a lot of weights and it's been hurting me for some time.

"I decided today to come on the court without tape and I think that was a mistake."

Monfils said he was happy with how he had served despite the pain.

"Two, three shots after the serve it hurt a little bit," he said.

"I will take some anti-inflammatories or painkillers, work on it, ice it, and hopefully tomorrow it will be much better.

He will now play American James Blake in the quarter-finals after the veteran American outlasted another Frenchman, Marc Gicquel, earlier in the day.

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