Bank Of The West Classic: Quarterfinal (Friday)

Quarterfinal

[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs Samantha Stosur (AUS)

Serena leads Head-to-Head 2-0
2nd Match Of The Day on Stadium Court

Serena advances to Quarterfinals at Stanford

STANFORD, CALIF.(AP) —Wimbledon champion Serena Williams has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Premier Bank of the West Classic, beating Hungary’s Melinda Czink 6-3, 7-6 (7). Williams, seeded first and ranked No. 2, has won nine straight matches and 13 of 14 overall. She next plays Austria’s Samantha Stosur on Friday.

Williams finished with 10 aces Thursday and brushed past her opponent in the first set. Czink, a left-hander, played a stronger second set in forcing Williams to a tiebreaker in a match that lasted nearly two hours. Match Statistics for Serena: 10 aces, 3 double faults, she won 75% of her 1st serves and 53% of her 2nd serves.

The #1 Ranking: The "Real" Deal

(Reuters) Serena Williams has won three of the last four grand slam titles but is still number two in the world, behind Dinara Safina, who has won none of the big four events of tennis. Such are the intricacies of the WTA Tour rankings system that Safina can be fairly confident about keeping her seat at the top of the ladder at least until the U.S. Open.

Not that Williams is complaining. "I'm happy with my results and winning Wimbledon," the American said going into this week's Stanford Classic where she is the top seed. "I guess I needed to win Rome and Madrid and I could have done better at the French. But I can't complain." Safina's successes have come outside the grand-slam events and last weekend the Russian won her third title of the year, in Portoroz, Slovenia. Her lack of head-to-head success against Williams, and sister Venus, however, make her unworthy of the world number one ranking, says Jelena Jankovic.

"I think I'm the best player and I should always think like that but if I had to pick someone after me, I'd pick Serena," said Jankovic, who was the 2008 year-end number one and is now sixth. "Serena moves well, is strong and more complete. "To be number one, you should be complete and if you are number one you have to be beating the Williams sisters," Jankovic told Reuters. "I'm one of the rare players who has a positive record against the Williams sisters. Safina has beaten...them twice. If you want to be number one, you have to be up there with them."

Safina, who is not playing at Stanford, has lost six of seven encounters with Serena. Against older sister Venus, the world number three, she has lost three times in four meetings. Serbian Jankovic has the upper hand against Venus Williams, with five wins and four losses, and has beaten Serena three times in seven matches.

Venus was diplomatic when asked whether her sister, who holds a total of 11 grand slam titles, or Safina deserved the top ranking more. "Both players have their results and know their results and we shouldn't put one player down and one player up," she said. "They both did their best."

WTA Tour officials said Safina's ranking was safe at least until mid-August and it would take an extraordinary run by Williams and a miserable stretch by Safina for the American to overtake her by the U.S. Open, which starts on August 31. Rankings are computed weekly on a cumulative points total over the previous 52 weeks, with higher-tier tournaments offering more points. Going into the Stanford Classic, Serena was 1,742 points behind Safina. To jump to the top she would have to win here and go most of the way through, if not win, the premier events at Cincinnati and the Canadian Open next month.

Beijing Olympic silver medallist Safina, who is defending points from 2008 titles she won at Los Angeles and the Canadian Open, would also have to lose early. Part of the reason for the disparity between the two women is that, despite her grand-slam success, Serena, who had a run of knee and thigh injuries, pulled out of premier tournaments at Indian Wells and Charleston in March and April, receiving zero points in her ranking total. Between Miami at the end of March, when she reached the final, and the French Open which started in late May and where she lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-finals, Williams played only three matches at four tournaments, earning seven ranking points.

For her part, Safina reached the final in Stuttgart and won back-to-back titles in Rome and Madrid, earning 2,120 ranking points. Plus, she reached the finals of the Australian Open and the French Open, as well as the semi-finals of Wimbledon. Elena Dementieva spoke up for her fellow Russian. "We were working a lot on our ranking system during the past years and it's better," the world number four said. "The ranking system has improved and I think you get a lot of points by winning a grand slam, so it's really weird to see a number one without winning a grand slam. It's very unique but give Dinara credit; she was winning so many (other) tournaments. She deserved to get this number one position, but I'm sure if Serena continues to play like that she will get that position very soon."

Bank of the West Classic: 2nd Round (Thursday)

2nd Round
[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs Melinda Czink (HUN)
Head-to-Head 0-0
1st Match Of The Day on Stadium Court
12:00pm (3:00pm EST)

Match will be aired LIVE on ESPN2

Team Williams advances to BOTWC Semis

The Williams Sisters advanced to the semi-final of the Bank of the West Classic by defeating Liga Dekmeijere (of Latvia) and Julie Ditty (of the United States) 6-1, 6-0. The Williams Sisters smacked down 9 aces and 1 double fault. They served at 60% for the match and won 88% of their first serves and 44% of their second serves.

Bank of the West Classic: Doubles (Wednesday)

Quarterfinal
Venus/Serena (USA)[2] vs L. Dekmeijere (LAT)/J. Ditty (USA)

4th Match of the Day

Stadium Court

Serena wins Bank Of The West Classic opener

Serena Williams geared up for her first event since winning a third Wimbledon title and emerged a winner. She opened her summer hardcourt campaign Tuesday night with a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) victory against Li Na of China. Serena hit 3 aces and an uncharacteristic 7 double faults. Her serve percentage for the match was 45%. She won 77% of her 1st serves and 56% of her 2nd serves. Li Na is no pushover and she played great tennis. Congratulations Serena, on to the next round.

Bank of the West Classic: 1st Round (Tuesday)

1st Round

[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs Na Li (CHN)

Serena leads Head-to-Head 2-1

6th Match Of The Day on Stadium Court

Not before 7:00pm

Team Williams advance at Bank of the West Classic

Team Williams (Venus and Serena) defeated Yi Chen (TPE) and Mashona Washington (USA) 6-4, 6-2 in 1st round doubles action at the Bank of the West Classic. The match lasted 55 minutes. The Williams Sisters served 4 aces, 1 double fault, had an overall 51% 1st serve percentage, won 95% of their 1st serves and 80% of their second serves.

Bank of the West Classic: Doubles (Monday)

1st Round

Venus/Serena (USA)[2] vs Y. Chen (TPE) / M. Washington (USA)

Court 6 - Not before 4:30pm

Williams Sisters highlight Super Tuesday @ BOTWC

STANFORD, Calif. – With a combined 18 Grand Slam singles titles between them, Serena and Venus Williams are two of the most popular tennis players in the world. At the Bank of the West Classic on Tuesday, July 28 tennis fans will have the opportunity to see both of these future Hall of Famers play on the same day.

Venus Williams, winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles and a two-time Bank of the West Classic champion, will take to the court for her opening round match during Tuesday’s day session marking her first match at Stanford since 2005. Serena Williams will highlight Tuesday’s evening session when she takes to the court in her first match since winning her 11th career Grand Slam singles title at this year’s Wimbledon Championships.

Double(s) Duty @ Bank of The West Classic

STANFORD, Calif.(www.BankOfTheWestClassic.com) – Venus and Serena Williams, the reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles champions, have entered the doubles draw at the 2009 Bank of the West Classic being held July 27 – August 2 at the Taube Family Tennis Center on the campus of Stanford University.

The Williams sisters have won 14 career doubles titles together including nine Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals. They have been nearly unbeatable this year posting 14-1 record which includes victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Venus and Serena Williams, along with Lisa Raymond, are the only active players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour to have completed the career doubles Grand Slam. Their Grand Slam wins include three Australian Opens, one French Open, four Wimbledons and one US Open.

Slam City: Serena has won 3 of the last 4 Slams

2008 U.S. Open - Serena defeats Jelena 6-4, 7-5

2009 Australian Open - Serena defeats Dinara 6-0, 6-3

2009 Wimbledon - Serena defeats Venus 7-6(3), 6-2

Serena vs. Shaq? - A Reality?

Shaquille O'Neal, who joins the Cleveland Cavaliers next season, will star in "Shaq Vs.," an ABC reality series that pits him against top athletes in their own sports. Filming begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh, where Shaq takes on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football. Future hour-long episodes will pit him against Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, tennis pro Serena Williams and beach volleyball Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

O'Neal, 37, says he also hopes to book pal Lance Armstrong for a cycling competition once the Tour de France ends. The series is set to premiere Aug. 18. O'Neal says he came up with the idea as a fun way to help train for the NBA season and figured sports fans "would really want to see an athlete play another sport." He knew most of the athletes and recruited some of them on Twitter.

Serena attends movie premiere "The Ugly Truth"

Serena attended the movie premiere of "The Ugly Truth" in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Serena wins 2009 ESPY Award

Serena took home the 2009 ESPY Award for Best Female Tennis Player. The other nominees in this category were Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Serena: Most Popular Female Sports Star

The latest Harris Poll says Serena Williams is the most popular female sports star. Harris surveyed 2,177 U.S. adults between June 8 - June 15 to develop its list of the top 10 female athletes.

The Top 10 Female Sports Stars (with 2008 rank noted):

1. Serena Williams (2)

2. Venus Williams (3)

3. Danica Patrick (1)

4. Candace Parker (7)

5. Mia Hamm (5)

6. (tied for 6th) Mara Sharapova (4)

7. (tied for 6th) Annika Sorenstam (6)

8. Chris Everett Lloyd (not ranked in 2008)

9. Anna Kournikova (not ranked in 2008)

10. Michelle Kwan (9)

Serena @ ESPY Awards (photos)

Venus and Serena present ESPY Award

Tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams offered a tribute to Nelson Mandela, who received the Arthur Ashe courage award at the 2009 ESPY Awards. Mandela's daughter Zindzi and grandson Zondwa accepted the silver trophy from the Williams sisters and Zindzi drew a laugh when she congratulated the U.S. soccer team for shocking the world in South Africa last month when it upset Spain.

Serena / Kastles defeat Newport Beach Breakers

On their most star-studded night of the year, Serena Williams and the Washington Kastles put on a show for a boisterous sold-out home crowd of 3,000 Kastles fans, defeating the Newport Beach Breakers 22-12 at Kastles Stadium last night. The win was the Kastles’ (5-4) fifth straight, giving them sole possession of second-place (and a playoff spot) in the Eastern Conference. The ten-game margin of victory was the second biggest for the team this season. “It’s great to be back in D.C.,” Williams said with a smile before the match. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric from the beginning, with notables like WTT founder Billie Jean King and Redskins starting quarterback Jason Campbell in attendance and a standing ovation for the 22-time Grand Slam champion as she walked on the court.

The Wimbledon champion once again brought fans to their seats as she walked on the court for her mixed doubles set with fellow Grand Slam winner Leander Paes. After a 5-1 mixed doubles victory last night, the pair set the performance bar high for tonight’s encore and they did not disappoint. The flashbulbs popped as Williams took her first serve in the third game of the set, with her team already up 2-0. From there, the dynamic duo did not falter, sweeping the event 5-0 to give the Kastles a 12-9 lead entering halftime. After halftime, Williams and the Kastles continued to control the action. Along with 2008 WTT women’s MVP Rennae Stubbs, the two Wimbledon doubles finalists handled opponents Julie Ditty and Marie-Eve Pelletier easily, winning the event 5-1 to give the Kastles a commanding 17-10 lead entering the final event, women’s singles.

Even with an insurmountable lead, not a fan left the stadium as Williams took the court alone against Pelletier. The world’s no. 2 player took care of business once again, defeating the Canadian 5-2 with a mixture of a power and finesse to win the match for her team on a night that fans will remember for years to come.

Serena visits White House / Meets Obamas

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - It was tennis before baseball for U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday. Before heading off to St. Louis to throw the first pitch at the all-star game, the president welcomed Wimbledon champion Serena Williams to the White House. "It was amazing," Williams said before her World Team Tennis match with the Washington Kastles. "I love President Obama; he has such an unbelievable presence, and he seems to be so normal -- and he noticed my shoes. "I think that was the highlight of the whole day ... he liked my shoes." Williams said she was wearing five-inch heels for the presidential visit. "He asked me, 'Should I be wearing high heels?' So I thought that was kind of funny because he may have been right," Williams said. "Because it is a job hazard for me, but I insist on wearing them."

Williams got to meet Michelle Obama and the rest of the first family. "I didn't know she had such an amazing personality," Williams said. "She had me cracking up and laughing. "I knew she was a great person, but now I really understand how important this first family is to the United States. And the kids were just so cute and sweet, and the dog was nice."

Serena / Kastles defeat Philadelphia Freedoms

Last night, the No. 2-ranked player in the world took the court for the Kastles for the third time this season and for the first time in the parking lot of the King of Prussia Mall. (Venus did not play last night.) Serena Williams lost her singles match but played on two winning doubles teams as the Kastles defeated the Freedoms, 19-18.

The Freedoms' Madison Keys defeated Williams, 5-1, in the opening match. Serena and Rennae Stubbs defeated Keys and Lisa Raymond, 5-4, in women's doubles. Serena and Leander Paes beat Raymond and Nathan Healey, 5-1, in mixed doubles. This is Serena's fourth season on a WTT squad. She played for the Delaware Smash in 2000, the St. Louis Aces in 2007, and the Kastles last year. Venus has played for the Freedoms in each of the last four seasons.

"I love playing World Team Tennis because we get to play in cities we wouldn't play otherwise," the younger Williams said. "So having a chance to play in front of people that are fans, I feel like I almost owe it to them."

Serena to play Cincinnati

The top men and women tennis players in the world have committed to play in the 2009 Western & Southern Financial Group Tennis Masters & Women’s Open. The women’s event runs Aug. 10-16, while the men’s event will be played Aug. 17-23. The women will be led into play by Dinara Safina, the top ranked player in the world. She’ll get a stern challenge from the Williams sisters -- number two ranked Serena and third ranked Venus. Of the top 20 women in the world, 18 have entered the tournament.

TUNE IN: Serena's on the Tennis Channel

CATCH SERENA IN ACTION ON THE TENNIS CHANNEL

Tuesday - 1999 Lipton Championships: Miami (Serena vs. Venus)

12:00pm - 2:30pm EST

Wednesday -2003 Wimbledon (Serena vs. Venus)

9:00am - 12:00pm EST

Thursday - 2009 World Team Tennis

(Serena / Washington Kastles vs. New York Sportimes)

6:00am - 8:30am EST

Thursday - 2003 Wimbledon (Serena vs. Venus)

12:00pm - 3:00pm EST

Friday - 2008 Wimbledon (Serena vs. Venus)

9:00am - 12:00pm

Mackie Shilstone reflects on Serena / Wimbledon

With New Orleans' Mackie Shilstone, tennis star Serena Williams back on track - by Peter Finney, The Times-Picayune

Over the years, our town's Mackie Shilstone has watched a passing parade of athletes, fueled by his longtime passion for fitness, perform on the national stage. The list goes from heavyweight boxers to elfin gymnasts, from point guards to shortstops, from quarterbacks to placekickers, all with personal goals, all with varying success. The other day, as Shilstone watched Serena Williams, a recent addition to his fitness family, defeat sister Venus for the Wimbledon championship, it reminded the executive director of Fitness Principle at East Jefferson General Hospital of someone who had "certain gifts" that helped make other members of the Shilstone family special.

For example: -- Like Ozzie Smith, the Hall of Fame shortstop who played with the St. Louis Cardinals. -- Like Roy Jones, Jr., the former world champion in four weight classes. -- Like Morten Andersen, whose field-goal kicking foot won many games for the Saints. "Ozzie once told me he got his eye-to-glove, left-to-right, reaction from throwing a baseball against an uneven brick wall, " Shilstone said. "You didn't know which way the ball was coming back at you. And Ozzie did this wearing a paper bag instead of a glove on the left hand. He said the paper bag helped his quickness in getting rid of the ball. "Serena's quickness going forehand to backhand, her balance, her racquet speed, reminded me of Ozzie."

And Roy Jones? "It was Serena's feet, the way they moved," said Shilstone. "They used to talk about the quickness in Jones' hands that made him special. It was the feet, not the hands. Serena's balance, the way she moves those feet, is incredible. Made me think is Jones." And Andersen? "I looked at Serena get her first serve in and it reminded me of the small margin of error Morten Andersen had kicking a 50-yard field goal. In tennis, you're hitting a first serve at more than 100 miles per hour, over a net into a small spot you've selected. It presents a tiny margin for error. In her semifinal victory, Serena served a tournament-high 20 aces."

The more Shilstone sees of tennis at the world-class level, the more he's convinced the return of a serve (Roger Federer can go 150 mph, Venus Williams 130, Serena 127) is every bit as challenging as hitting a baseball thrown from 60 feet. "In tennis, the server has a much wider target than the pitcher," said Shilstone. "And you're hitting a bullet that's bouncing. Serena had gotten to the stage where her second serve is faster than the first serve of many of the women at her level." Shilstone was recommended to Serena's mother last year by the manager of former heavyweight champ Riddick Bowe. At the time, part of Serena's resume was a world-class player who had gone from No. 1 to No. 100-plus and was determined to fight her way back.

When Shilstone asked Serena if he could see some video of Serena at her tennis best, she said, "I don't have any, because I've never played my best." "That told me something right there," Shilstone said. "Serena is a perfectionist. As we speak, I guarantee you she's out there somewhere hitting a tennis ball. Her mental toughness, her drive for perfection, is awesome. So is the Williams family and the dad who has coached his two daughters from the start." Venus, at 29, was looking for her third consecutive Wimbledon title, and sixth overall, when 27-year-old Serena prevailed in straight sets. Venus went into match having won 34 sets in a row at Wimbledon, dating back to 2007. Serena's 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory was her third Wimbledon and 11th Grand Slam. She has captured three of the past four Grand Slam events.

There was some question how much Serena had left in the tank when she fought off match point in a three-set semifinal win that lasted two hours, 29 minutes. Meanwhile, Venus had advanced in a 6-1, 6-0 picnic that took 51 minutes. Obviously, Serena had plenty left, thanks no doubt to what she called "boot camp" - seven-day sessions that became part of her routine in Florida, including such things as the "H-Drill, " "Star Drill, '' "Ladder Drill,'' running different distances, in all directions, aimed, among other things, at building endurance. On championship day at Wimbledon, Serena Williams made it a point to catch Mackie's eye and say, "I want credit for all those 25-yard shuttles you made me do back in West Palm."

Serena / Kastles defeat New York Sportimes (WTT)

NEW YORK - With a performance nothing short of overwhelming, Serena Williams and the rest of her Washington Kastles teammates made easy work of the Eastern Conference-leading New York Sportimes Friday night, leading from start to finish en route to a 25-13 victory to put the team only one game out of a playoff spot.

The match began with a triple-dose of Williams. After Sportimes coach Chuck Adams selected mixed doubles, women's doubles and women's singles as the first three events of the night, Williams took the court undaunted by having to play three consecutive sets. True to form, she played at a world-class level during all three events. With fellow Grand Slam winners Leander Paes and Rennae Stubbs playing beside Williams during the doubles matches, the 22-time Grand Slam champion hardly had to do all the work herself. The mixed and women's doubles teams dropped just three games during the sets and were broken just once, as the duos showed chemistry befitting of lifelong teammates.

First, Williams and Paes took on Abigail Spears and David Martin in mixed doubles, which they won handily, 5-1. The blowout gave the Kastles a 27-21 record in mixed doubles sets this season, the best win percentage in the WTT. After the hot start, the teaming of Stubbs and Williams continued on their success from the previous night, defeating Spears and teammate Christina Fusano by a 5-2 score to bring their record to 10-2 over the last two matches.

Next it was Williams' turn to complete her hat trick. Wearing her custom-made Kastles uniform, the 2009 ladies' singles and doubles Wimbledon champion was too much for Spears, who rose the level of her game, but Williams ultimately prevailed 5-3. Thanks to Williams' performance, the Kastles had built a large 15-6 lead after three events.

Serena hosts tennis clinic at Randalls Island

On Friday, prior to taking to the courts of the freshly minted Sportime Tennis Center to play World Team Tennis, 11 time Grand Slam Champion, Serena Williams, participated in a tennis clinic with local children involved in the Randalls Island Sports Foundation. Speaking to the media after the tennis clinic, Serena stated that the U.S. Open is "priority #1." She also mentioned the new lines of sweat-proof sunscreen and lip balm she would soon be introducing to the marketplace via the Home Shopping Network.

MISSION Skincare CONTEST: MEET SERENA!

On July 23rd at 8pm and July 24th at 7 & 8pm Serena Williams, a MISSION Skincare co-founder, will appear on HSN to launch her luxe new skincare line called MISSION Skincare Active-Beauty Line: Featuring Serena Williams. The products are engineered to offer proven solutions for the demanding active lifestyle of today’s woman.

CONTEST – Meet Serena:

Starting July 8th and ending July 21st, Serena is hosting a contest to see what you can do in 90 seconds. Enter at www.SerenasMISSION.com for the chance to meet her and win two VIP tickets to one of her upcoming tournaments. Other prizes include an autographed tennis racquet and $1,000 gift basket of Serena’s personal favorites. Follow her on Twitter @serenajwilliams to get contest updates.

The signature hero product is the Oxygen-Active Daily Facial Cleanser, engineered with a unique, self-foaming oxygenating technology that cleans impurities, removes makeup, nourishes and renews skin in only 90 seconds. Antioxidant properties help fight free-radical damage and environmental aggressors. The result? Skin that appears younger and healthier looking – all for $39.99.

The line also includes the following all-star products:

Sugar Body Scrub: Honey Sugar – Refined sugar granules suspended in a moisturizing gel that gently exfoliates the body, leaving the skin smooth, hydrated and healthy. $29.99

Restorative Body Butter: Honey Sugar – A rich blend of natural extracts and moisturizing agents formulated to deliver superior nourishment and emollients to the skin to protect and hydrate. $24.99

Lip Balmer SPF 15: Pomegranate – Who better to design the perfect lip balm than professional athletes who battle heat, sun, sweat and freezing temperatures all in a day’s work? Introducing a long-lasting lip balm in Serena’s favorite flavor – pomegranate. Featuring broad-spectrum SPF 15 sun protection and moisturizing cocoa butter and soybean oil to hydrate and nourish lips. Added bonus – the formula is preservative and paraben-free. $3.99

Lip Balmer SPF 15: Pink Lemonade – Formulated to nourish, protect and deliver long-lasting hydration, this refreshing Pink Lemonade lip balm is clinically proven to lock in moisture for up to 8 hours, while providing powerful SPF 15 sun protection. $3.99

The products also highlight MISSION Skincare’s unique M-10 formula, loaded with a variety of ten vitamins and antioxidants that meet the needs of active women worldwide.

Serena / Washington Kastles defeat Boston

Fresh off of her Wimbledon wins (singles and doubles), Serena helped her Washington Kastles (World Tennis Team) defeat the Boston Lobsters, 24-17, at Middleton's Ferncroft Country Club on July 9. "I think the level is very intense. Last year I was more nervous at Team Tennis than I was at Wimbledon," said Serena, just five days after defeating Venus at Wimbledon's ladies singles final. "I feel a little pressure. You're not just playing for yourself, you're playing for your team and your teammates and every game counts. It's not the easiest thing, that's for sure."

Regular Lobsters player Jan-Michael Gambill beat the Kastles' Scott Oudsema, 5-4 (games are scored to four points, and each "set" is won by five games) to kick off the match. Then, it was Serena time.

She went up against returning Lobster player Raquel Kops-Jones and gave up just 13 total points while winning 5-2. It was the first time Serena had played Kops-Jones and she had high praise for the 2008 U.S. Open doubles quarterfinalist. "I think she's good - she's a fighter, she runs well and she has a great return," said Serena. "Never played her before," added Kops-Jones, of Williams. "I didn't know what to expect, but I knew she'd be tough and she was - she played hard and fast. I think I had a few chances and I didn't execute, but overall I'm happy with how I performed."

Williams joined up with 2009 French Open doubles champion (with Lukas Dlouhy) Leander Paes in the mixed doubles match for the night. They faced Kops-Jones and first-year Lobster James Auckland and came up with a 5-3 victory. During the break Williams danced a little to the young duo of Topsfield's Michael and Marisa, with Michael playing guitar and singing and Marisa on drums and she also sang. Following the break, Serena had her last match of the night, joining Rennae Stubbs, who won four Grand Slam doubles titles in the early 2000s. They faced Kops-Jones and another first-year Lobster, Stephanie Foretz, and came up with the 5-1 victory.

Serena was glad to have the chance to play in such a small venue. "I look at the stadium and see how intimate it is," said Serena, of the Ferncroft facility. "It's so small, your fans are so close to you, they get to know a sense of how you play, who you are - it's awesome, i love it." This time, the 22-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Olympic Gold medalist wasn't nervous, either. "I wasn't nervous after all, I felt good," said Serena, just before meeting and signing autographs for fans after the match. "It was a good day, a really good day."

Serena kicks off World Team Tennis on July 9th

2009 Wimbledon singles champion Serena Williams of the Washington Kastles begins her WTT campaign on July 9 in Boston for the first of four matches, including three consecutive on the road. Serena plays July 10 in New York City at the New York Sportimes’ new $16 million Sportimes Stadium at Randall’s Island, and July 13 in Philadelphia. Serena plays her only home match at Kastles Stadium in Washington, D.C., on July 14.

Serena enters Rogers Cup (Toronto)

Tennis Canada announced Tuesday the official player field for the 2009 edition of Rogers Cup Toronto. The player list includes each of the current Top 25 players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and 33 of the Top 35. Rogers Cup Toronto is scheduled for August 15-23 at Rexall Centre on the campus of York University. The defending champion is world No. 1 Dinara Safina of Russia. Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and finalist Venus Williams of the United States round out the top three players.

Wimbledon Queen has eyes on "King"

Wimbledon champion Serena Williams wants more than her current 11 Grand Slam singles titles, and has Billie Jean King in her sights.

Williams beat her older sister Venus 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 to take her third title at the All England Club in London. “For the second time in my career, I have a number I want to reach,” Serena Williams said in an interview at Wimbledon before Sunday’s men’s final. “My first number was reaching Monica Seles, and I was finally able to do that. Now, I’m looking at Billie Jean King.”

Seles won nine majors -- four in Australia, three at Roland Garros and two U.S. Opens. King won 12 Grand Slam singles championships. The list is headed by Margaret Court Smith’s 24 titles. Serena, 27, is preparing for the U.S. Open, where she’s won three times, including her first major 10 years ago.

Serena now holds three of the four majors -- Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the U.S. Open, with Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova taking the French Open. Williams lost in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, derailing her chance for a calendar Grand Slam.

“I’m really disappointed because I think this was the year that I could have done it, and I didn’t.” she said. “I had the biggest chance to win all four in my career, and I just screwed up.”

Her goal is to win the U.S. Open starting at the end of August, and next year’s Australian Open, putting her in line to win her self-dubbed “Serena Slam” by holding all four titles, but in a different calendar year, she said. She last completed that sweep at the 2003 Australian Open.

“My goal now is to win and keep winning until I get to the French, and then I’ll have another Serena Slam,” she said.

Serena's Late Show w/ David Letterman (Video)

Serena to launch her MISSION skincare line on HSN

On July 23rd and July 24th, Serena Williams, a MISSION Skincare co-founder, will appear on HSN to launch her luxe new skincare line called MISSION Skincare Active-Beauty Line: Featuring Serena Williams. The products are engineered to offer proven solutions for the demanding active lifestyle of today’s woman.

The signature hero product is the Oxygen-Active Daily Facial Cleanser, engineered with a unique, self-foaming oxygenating technology that cleans impurities, removes makeup, nourishes and renews skin in only 90 seconds. Antioxidant properties help fight free-radical damage and environmental aggressors. The result? Skin that appears younger and healthier looking – all for $39.99.

The line also includes the following all-star products:

Sugar Body Scrub: Honey Sugar – Refined sugar granules suspended in a moisturizing gel that gently exfoliates the body, leaving the skin smooth, hydrated and healthy. $29.99

Restorative Body Butter: Honey Sugar – A rich blend of natural extracts and moisturizing agents formulated to deliver superior nourishment and emollients to the skin to protect and hydrate. $24.99

Lip Balmer SPF 15: Pomegranate – Who better to design the perfect lip balm than professional athletes who battle heat, sun, sweat and freezing temperatures all in a day’s work? Introducing a long-lasting lip balm in Serena’s favorite flavor – pomegranate. Featuring broad-spectrum SPF 15 sun protection and moisturizing cocoa butter and soybean oil to hydrate and nourish lips. Added bonus – the formula is preservative and paraben-free. $3.99

Lip Balmer SPF 15: Pink Lemonade – Formulated to nourish, protect and deliver long-lasting hydration, this refreshing Pink Lemonade lip balm is clinically proven to lock in moisture for up to 8 hours, while providing powerful SPF 15 sun protection. $3.99

The products also highlight MISSION Skincare’s unique M-10 formula, loaded with a variety of ten vitamins and antioxidants that meet the needs of active women world wide.

The MISSION Skincare Active-Beauty Line: Featuring Serena Williams has been developed with Dr. Bryan Adams, Chairman for the American Academy of Dermatology, Serena Williams and consumer groups representing the active woman of today.

--- Gabrielle Long (http://www.examiner.com/)

Serena on David Letterman TONIGHT!

Via Twitter, Serena stated that she will be on the David Letterman show tonight.

Roger and Serena @ Wimbledon Champions Ball