Black Tennis Pros

MIAMI, FL, USA - Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Sony Ericsson Open, where she is a three-time champion, due to an abdominal injury.

Williams, who has a phenomenal 47-9 record at the Premier-level stop, which includes title runs in 1998, 1999 and 2001 and one more final (last year, falling to Kim Clijsters), is currently receiving ongoing rehabilitation at home.

"I am very sorry to not be playing in the Sony Ericsson Open this year. It is one of my favorite tournaments, especially because it is so close to my home in South Florida," Williams said. "I look forward to returning to the tour soon."

"It is unfortunate that Venus Williams will be unable to play at this year's," Tournament Director Adam Barrett added. "She will be missed and we wish her a speedy recovery. We hope to see her back on court soon."

Williams has only played two events since Wimbledon last year, making the semifinals of the US Open (losing to eventual champion Clijsters in a tight three-setter) and reaching the third round of this year's Australian Open (where she retired against Andrea Petkovic after one game in the third round).

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

At the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, California last week, Donald Young marked the biggest win of his professional career, achieving his first top ten defeat over Britain's Andy Murray. This week at the Sony Ericsson Open, Miami, Florida, Donald has once again successfully come through the qualifying rounds after defeating Frenchman Arnaud Clement 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 and Canadian Frank Dancevic 6-1, 1-6, 7-5.

Donald will face Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in round one of the main draw.

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

Monday's third round play at the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, California, saw the cessation of what many hoped would be a deep run for American Donald Young. Alternatively, it was extremely rewarding to see the Young one play with so much more commitment and confidence, earning his first top ten win in his victory over Britain's Andy Murray.

Spaniard Tommy Robredo, seeded at 25, proved a bit too much for the qualifier today. Donald didn't seem to have has much gas in the tank as he had in the previous two matches, and expressed much disappointment in his performance as he played.

A short while ago he tweeted:


Nonetheless, it was a good run. Looking forward to the seeing what he will bring in the remainder of 2011.

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

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

Davis Cup teammates Andy Roddick John Isner will face off in the third round after they posted back-to-back wins on Stadium One, Sunday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open.

World No. 8 Roddick, who dropped serve once during the one-hour, 30-minute match, broke James Blake to go up 6-5 in the second set and proceeded to clinch the 6-3, 7-5 victory with his 13th ace.

“I thought it was okay,” he said. “It was tough to get a gauge on how I was playing because James was playing so aggressively. From the first game I realized his strategy was any time; he didn't want to let me get a rhythm. I felt like he was coming out of his shoes. It was tough, but the numbers looked good afterwards. I felt like I was hitting the ball okay, so it worked out.”

It was Roddick’s eighth win in 11 matches against Blake, a former World No. 4 who has dropped to a No. 158 ranking after an injury-plagued 2010 season.

“I definitely think we've gotten closer over the course of our careers,” he said of their relationship. “Spending so many weeks early on when we were the only two young U.S. guys who were at tournaments, so we naturally, I guess kind of gravitated towards each other. And then being on the team together for so long, he's one of my favorite people. He's someone who I always cheer for.”

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

A very determined 17-year-old-wild-card Sloane Stephens waged a good battle during second round play at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, but was defeated 6-3, 6-2 by WTA World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

Stephens was able to break Wozniacki's serve twice, but was not able to prevent her own serve from being broken five times, thus enabling Wozniacki to quickly move out front and take the match.

Post match Wozniacki said, “I felt like the timing was not quite there yet, but I think Sloane, she took her chances - she played well. She's a newcomer, and I definitely see a lot of potential in her. But I would like, of course, just to go match by match try to develop my game.”

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

INDIAN WELLS, California — Fifth seeded Andy Murray and sixth seed David Ferrer were joined on the sidelines by defending champion Ivan Ljubicic as all three lost their opening matches Saturday at Indian Wells.

American qualifier Donald Young upset world number five Murray 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in the second round of the WTA and ATP Masters 1000 tournament.

Scotsman Murray looked rusty in his opening match at Indian Wells and in his first career meeting against the 21-year-old Young. Murray has now lost the last six sets he has played.

"I started the match well but then when it got close I didn't do anything to lift myself," said Murray. "The crowd was for him and then he started to play better and I didn't play my way back into the match."

It marked the first victory over a top-10 opponent for Young, who has a 3-3 record this year.

Courtside Donald Young said, ""It's by far the biggest win of my career."

Young advanced to the third round, where he will face Tommy Robredo of Spain who beat Mischa Zverev 6-3, 3-6. 7-5.

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

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