Black Tennis Pros

SYDNEY — World number one Serena Williams called on all her signature fighting spirit to overhaul French opponent Aravane Rezai and reach her first Sydney International final on Thursday.

The American 11-time Grand Slam champion clawed back from a set and 2-5 down to defeat 27th-ranked Rezai 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 and will play defending champion Elena Dementieva in Friday's final.

Fifth seed Dementieva, who downed Williams at this stage in last year's tournament, was too strong for sixth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the other semi, marching to a 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Williams will be bidding for her 36th title, while Dementieva will be after her 15th. Williams leads 7-4 in their career matches.

For much of the two-hour contest, Williams looked consigned to losing her fourth Sydney semi-final, before she raised her level to claim 11 of the last 15 games.

"I was lucky to get through today, for sure," Williams said.

"I was just trying to play my game and do the best that I could. I didn't do so well.

"I hit I don't know how many errors today, but I finally made a couple of shots."

Faced with a chastening defeat just days ahead of the defence of her Australian Open crown, Williams dug deep and turned the tide against the impressive Rezai.

"I don't think she lost her way at all," Williams said. "I just think at that point I lifted my game.

"I thought she did really well. I felt like I literally lifted my game at that point because I knew I was going be headed to Melbourne (for the Australian Open) if I didn't.

"I kept thinking, 'I want to get a little more practice and I'd hate for it to end now'."

Rezai said she had learnt from the defeat.

"I was probably scared to win the match," she said. "But I realise I have the game and I can win, so I learn one more thing today: It's just to fight until the end of the match."

Dementieva went on from her impressive straight-sets win over world number two Dinara Safina late Wednesday to ease past Azarenka.

"I was trying to be very aggressive from the beginning of the match," Dementieva said.

"I didn't want it to go to three sets because I need to save some energy for the final."

Dementieva said she was looking forward to facing Williams ahead of next week's Australian Open.

"I'm sure it's going to be a tough one. I think playing her in early rounds it's a completely different game," she said.

"So to play her in the final, it's going to be a tough challenge for me.

"It looks like she's in very good shape right now. It's going to be a tough battle."

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Last summer, buzz started brewing that the 'Love T.K.O.' singer was on his deathbed.

At the time, the Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter was hospitalized at Philadelphia's Bryn Mawr Hospital for about a month, and the nature of his illness was not publicly known. He and his new wife, Joan, addressed the rumors and expressed gratitude to his loyal legion of fans for their support.

"I wish to thank my fans for their prayers, concerns and love," Pendergrass disclosed in a statement. "While I have faced recent health challenges, I am in the care of my wonderful doctors, wife Joan and family."

"We ask at this time that you respect our privacy," the statement continued. "Do know that I'm looking forward to continuing my work at the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to help people with spinal cord injuries."

Since becoming quadriplegic following a horrific 1982 car accident, the Kingstree, South Carolina native (real name: Theodore DeReese Pendergrass) was actively involved in improving the lives of others suffering spinal cord injuries through the Spinal Cord Injury Association.

The former Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes front man celebrated his successful music career in 2007 at "Teddy 25."

For full article go to Blackvoices.com.

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As the death toll continues to rise in Haiti, Wyclef continued his humanitarian efforts by speaking out publicly in an effort to encourage people across the world to donate to aid efforts. Read his statement and how you can help below:

“Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake – and several very strong aftershocks – struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince. I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now. President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.”

Many people have already reached out to see what they can do right now. We are asking those interested to please do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill), or you can visit www.Yele.org and click on DONATE.

For full article including images go to www.Bossip.com.

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SYDNEY — Serena Williams stormed into the semi-finals of the Sydney International on Wednesday, cranking up the heat on her opponents ahead of next week's Australian Open.

The American world number one tossed aside Russian Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-2, making it just seven games she has dropped on her way to the last four of the Sydney tournament.

Williams, strong favourite to lift her fifth Australian Open crown and her 12th Grand Slam, takes on world number 27 Aravane Rezai of France in Thursday's semi-finals.


Rezai won her third match of the tournament against Italian Flavia Pennetta, 6-3, 6-0 on Wednesday.

In the bottom half of the draw, Belarus sixth seed Victoria Azarenka is through to the semi-finals after beating Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 7-5, while defending champion Elena Dementieva was due to face world number two Dinara Safina later Wednesday.

"I definitely enjoy playing in the heat," Williams said of steamy Melbourne, home to the Open. "I usually enjoy playing in the heat. I live in Florida, so it's all about hot weather there.

"So I think maybe that's one of the reasons why I do so well down here.

"The past couple of times I won it's been extremely hot, so I expect the same temperatures again."

Asked during her post-match press conference how close she was to her best form, Williams said: "I always try to get there usually around the semi-finals and finals of the Grand Slams.

"I'm just doing the best that I can now to get there. Hopefully I have a long way to go, which I think is always good."

Williams said she was expecting her toughest match of the week against Rezai.

"I haven't played her, but I know her game," she said. "I played her in doubles and (sister) Venus has played her before.

"She's a good player and she's really young. She has a lot of drive. I think she can be really good. It'll definitely be my toughest match yet."

Azarenka had to again work hard to stay alive in the tournament, taking two hours 20 minutes to extinguish the challenge of the 24th-ranked Cibulkova.

So far Azarenka has been taken to three sets in all her three matches at the tournament.

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At the AAMI Classic in Kooyong (Melbourne, Australia) on Wednesday, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Sweden's Robin Soderling 7-6 (7-0), 6-1. Tsonga is returning to play subsequent to dealing with a wrist injury that caused him to withdraw from last week's Qatar ExxonMobil Open.


The players faced a very windy day, of his play Tsonga stated, "I feel good, better with my new racket. Today was difficult to play for me and Robin," he said.

"Even in these conditions we have to play and we have to win. I did it today so it's good for me."

Up next for Tsonga is 2009 U.S. Open champion, Juan Martin Del Potro.

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Top seed Gael Monfils has withdrawn from the Sydney International with a shoulder injury which also has the Frenchman in doubt for the Australian Open starting in Melbourne next Monday.

Monfils says his right serving shoulder is inflamed and requires several days' rest.

The world No.12 is hopeful of being fit for the opening grand slam of the year, but won't make a decision until later this week.

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