Serena nominated for BET Award

BET Networks, a unit of Viacom NYSE: VIA NYSE: VIA.B, has announced the nominees, performers and recipients of the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian honors for the BET AWARDS '08. The BET AWARDS '08 is raising the stakes and promises to be the "hottest ticket on television" for the eighth year running, as the biggest stars in music, sports and entertainment unite in Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium for a night of explosive LIVE performances on Tuesday, June 24 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.

Serena has been nominated for the Female Athlete of the Year Award, a category for which she has already won four times. Other nominees in this category include: Venus Williams, Tamika Catchings, Cheryl Ford, and Candace Parker.

(Rome) - Internazionali BNL D'Italia - Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final (Friday)
Serena (USA)[5] vs. Alize Cornet (FRA)[Q]
Serena leads Head-To-Head (1-0)
2nd match of the day on Stadio Pietrangeli (not before 3:3opm)

Serena advances to Rome Quarter-Final

Serena Williams upset Italian hearts as she moved into the WTA Rome International quarter-finals at the expense of home favorite Sara Errani. Serena won 6-4, 6-3 in a typically dominant performance. Serena is looking to earn her second title here having lifted the trophy in 2002, beating the now retired Justine Henin in the final. Serena had this to say about Sara. “She was an unbelievable fighter and she never gave up. She has great spirit.”

Williams Sisters enter East West Bank Classic

Venus and Serena Williams to play in Carson
by Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Making a rare combined appearance in Southern California, tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams have entered the East West Bank Classic tournament, July 21-27 at the Home Depot Center.It is the first time since 2004 that both of the sisters, who grew up in nearby Compton, have played the event. Neither played in Carson last year, and in fact, Venus, whose best result came with a semifinal appearance in 2004, has not played here since. The sisters will be treating the hard-court event as a tuneup for the U.S. Open in New York, as it is part of the U.S. Open Series. It may also serve as a tuneup for the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Traditionally, the Carson event is held even closer to the U.S. Open, but most of the summer circuit has been tweaked because of Olympic scheduling issues. Serena last appeared in Carson in 2006, when she lost in the semifinals to Jelena Jankovic. She won the event twice, in 1999 and 2000, back when it was held in Manhattan Beach. The Williams sisters historically have opted not to play the same tournaments, other than the Grand Slams and the Miami event, which is close to their home. Other entrants are Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jankovic, Daniela Hantuchova and Nicole Vaidisova. Jankovic lost in the semifinals last year to eventual champion Ana Ivanovic.

(Rome) - Internazionali BNL D'Italia - 3rd Rnd

3rd Round - (Thursday)

Serena (USA) [5] vs. Sara Errani (ITA)[WC]

Head-To-Head (0-0)

2nd match of the day on Stadio Pietrangeli

Serena on Justine's retirement......

One of her greatest rivals over the last few years, Serena Williams described the little Belgian as a champion. "She's a great champion who gave me a world of trouble so I hope the best for her. She had a great year last year," she said. "What can you say about such a champion? I don't think we have enough time." Serena edged their head-to-head-record 7-6 courtesy of a 6-2, 6-0 thrashing of Henin in Miami earlier this year and she said the match between the pair that most stood out for her was at that same venue. "Miami last year was such a hard-fought match, and I was so glad to win," added Serena. She had dropped the first set 6-0 but came back to win the next two 7-5, 6-3 before going on to lift the title.

Serena wins; Advances to 3rd Round

Serena Williams delivered a near picture perfect performance on center court Wednesday. Serena defeated Alonda Bondarenko 6-2, 6-0 in an hour and 3 minutes. Serena faced 9 break points but saved all of them. Serena is in great fighting shape and is a serious contender for the French Open crown (to add to the one she currently owns).

Serena the "Superhero"

Serena is shown during the shooting of a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour global TV advertising campaign (titled "Superhero") on May 12, 2008 in Rome, Italy. Serena said: “This has been a fun experience and I love anything in front of the camera! Matthieu is a great director and I could really follow his vision.” She added, “This is a great campaign for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and it’s another sign that women’s tennis is the leading sport for all female athletes worldwide.” The marketing campaign is designed to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's current and next generation stars and the race to the season-ending Championships to be held this year in Doha, Qatar. The film will debut at the Tour's Wimbledon Player Party at Kensington Roof Gardens in London on June 19.

Rain in Rome...

Due to rain, Serena was not able to take to the court for her 2nd Round match against Alonda Bondarenko. This match is now scheduled to be played tomorrow (Wednesday) as the 3rd match of the day on center court (Stadio Pietrangeli). Only four matches were completed before a torrential downpour suspended play at around 5pm local time and just after 9pm tournament organizers decided to call off the day's play and resume at 11am on Wednesday.

(Rome) - Internazionali BNL D'Italia - 2nd Rnd

2nd Round - (Tuesday)
Serena (USA) [5] vs. Alonda Bondarenko (UKR)
Head-To-Head (0-0)
Featured night match on Stadio Pietrangeli at 8:30pm

Serena loses 3-Set THRILLER: 7-6(5) in the 3rd!

Serena lost her quarterfinal match against Dinara Safina 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(5). Wow! I did not see this match (yet) but I take it that Safina played an AWESOME match, backing up her victory over Justine Henin (yesterday). Congratulations Safina! I am proud of the progress that Serena has made this year and during this tournament. She should be proud also. Next up, Rome and then the French Open. Get a little rest because you have two more clay titles to win! Go Serena!

(Berlin) - Qatar Telecom German Open: Qtr-Final

Quarter-Final - (Friday)

Serena (USA) [5] vs. Dinara Safina (RUS) [13]

Serena leads Head-To-Head (3-0)

2nd match of the day on Steffi Graf Stadium
1st match begins at 12:00pm

Serena defeats Radwanska! Advances to Qtr-Final

Serena racked up her 17th consecutive victory powering past Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-3, 6-1, to storm into the Qatar Telecom German Open on the red clay of Berlin today. With today's win, Williams raised her record on clay to 7-0 this season, which is one more win than she produced in the last two years combined on clay.

Williams is chasing her fourth straight title. "I tell myself if I play well, I make it easier on myself,'' Williams said. "I'm not tired, I've had a lot of time off and I am in top shape.'' Williams thought she would face Henin in the quarterfinals Friday. "Obviously, yes, I was ready to play her,'' Williams said. "But a lot of seeded players went out today. I'm just happy I wasn't one.'' The sixth-ranked Williams is 3-0 lifetime vs. the 17th-ranked Safina, including a 6-2, 6-3 decision in the Roland Garros round of 16 last year.

To view highlights of the match, click the "play" button on the video below:

(Berlin) - Qatar Telecom German Open: 3rd Rnd

3rd Round - (Thursday)
Serena (USA) [5] vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [11]
Head-To-Head (0-0)
2nd match of the day on Steffi Graf Stadium

1st match begins at 12:00pm

Serena defeats Schiavone; Advances to 3rd Rnd

Serena has defeated Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-3 in the 2nd round of the German Open. Seeking her first title at this Tier I tournament, Williams has won 16 straight matches, including consecutive crowns in Bangalore, Miami and Charleston. (In 2002, Williams produced her best showing at the German Open, losing a 3-set Final to Justine Henin).

Schiavone fought off repeated break chances throughout the second set before her forehand sailed long and allowed Williams to take a 4-2 lead. "I'm healthy. I'm focused. Tennis is my priority," said Williams, ranked No. 6. "Everything is just coming together. Obviously, I would like to keep up the streak. I really want to keep it up on clay. I can slide on clay and be a little bit more lazy -- I like that."

The 20th-ranked Schiavone appeared to be a tough first match for Williams. Schiavone has 12 wins this year against Top 10 players, including No. 1 Justine Henin. She defeated Williams in their only clay match two years ago in Rome. But Williams never had trouble with Schiavone, leading 10-3 in winners during the opening games despite trouble keeping the ball in the court. After settling down, Williams kept the pressure on Schiavone's serve. "This was a good first match, she's a great player to play against," Williams said. "I served well and that keeps me happy."

To view "highlights" of this match click on the video below:

(Berlin) - Qatar Telecom German Open: 2nd Rnd

2nd Round - (Tuesday)

Serena (USA) [5] vs. Francesca Schiavone (ITA)

Serena leads Head-To-Head (3-1)

3rd match of the day on Steffi Graf Stadium
1st match begins at 12:00pm

SERENA predicted to take title in Berlin!

As Serena prepares for her second clay event of the season, Ravi Ubha (Espn.com), selects Serena as the last woman standing.

"Justine Henin is a three-time winner in Germany and one of the great performers of all time at this event. But as has been the case so often in the past year, Serena Williams is sitting in her quarter of the draw. Just a few weeks ago, Williams demolished the world No. 1 in Miami, 6-2, 6-0. Additionally, Henin is playing in her first clay tournament of the year, having pulled out of Charleston with a right knee injury. Can Henin circumvent a wealth of talent and win this Tier I event for the fourth time? Here's how we predict the German Open will play itself out.

First Quarter: Henin-Serena Williams, part 14

Henin bailed from the Tier 1 tourney in Charleston, S.C., last month, not wanting to risk injury to her right knee, so Berlin marks her first tournament since a crushing 6-2, 6-0 defeat to Williams in the quarterfinals of the hard-court Sony Ericsson Open more than a month ago. A friendly draw early means she can ease into the last eight.

Williams claimed the Miami title and did the same in Charleston, improving to 19-1 this season. Though potentially tricky foes await in the second and third rounds in resilient teens Alize Cornet and Agnieszka Radwanska, it's hard to pick against Williams.

Serena Williams has encountered Justine Henin in the quarterfinals of the draw the last four times they have met. Williams then would battle Henin for the 14th time. She's 1-4 against the three-time defending French Open champion on dirt, where Henin is most comfortable. Then again, Henin's campaign has been less than impressive. Prediction: Williams

SEMIFINALS: The Hard Hitters Williams and Kuznetsova are armed with two of the hardest-hitting games in women's tennis. Williams has a 4-1 edge in their head-to-head matches, and the superiority is probably greater when it comes to performing under pressure, as witnessed in Miami. Williams took the third set of their semi 6-3. Similarly Ivanovic has the mental edge over compatriot Jankovic, leading the series 5-1. Prediction: Williams, Ivanovic to advance

FINAL: To be blunt, it's hard to stop Williams when she's on a roll, so if the younger of the tennis-playing sisters is anywhere near her best, a straight-set job is on the cards. A closer look at Ivanovic's path when she reached the Australian Open and French Open final reveals a cushy draw. Confronted by the likes of Henin, Sharapova (not on a clay court) and Williams, the 20-year-old fizzles. Prediction: Serena Williams"

Serena's path to German Open Title / TV Coverage

1st Rnd: Bye

2nd Rnd: Cornet (or) Schiavone

3rd Rnd: Radwanska

QF: Henin

SF: Kuznetsova

F: Jankovic (or) Ivanovic (or) Dementiava

Serena's section of the draw is rock solid and possibly the toughest in the entire tournament but she is more than capable of getting the job done. Go Serena! Grab your fourth consecutive title (and 2nd clay court title) of the year!

U.S. fans can watch the Berlin-Qatar German Open on The Tennis Channel:

Friday, May 9th: Quarter-Finals @ 5:00pm EST

Saturday, May 10th: Semi-Finals @ 2:00pm EST

Sunday, May 11th: Semi-Final #2 (REPEAT) @ 12:ooam

Sunday, May 11th: Semi-Final #1 and #2 (REPEAT) @ 1:00pm

Sunday, May 11th: FINAL @ 5:00pm EST

Monday, May 12th: FINAL (REPEAT) @ 12:00am

Martina Navratilova comments on Serena

Erin Bruehl (of USTA.com) recently posted an interview with Martina Navratilova. Here's what she had to say about Serena Williams:

Thoughts on past weekend's Fed Cup:

"Tennis is a game of rankings, and a player ranked 150th isn’t going to beat a player ranked 20th or a player in the top five very often. We need the Williams sisters to play and Lindsay, and they did not play for whatever reason. I know Venus is off the tour completely right now. It is too bad that Serena did not play because she has been winning and playing well. We have to get the top players to play more. Those three are all we have; there is really nobody else in the top 50 who can compete at that level. We were just overmatched, and that is how it goes. It is hard to get the players to do something they don’t really want to do. Most of the top players do play Fed Cup, but there is so much more demand on players’ time these days from sponsors and endorsers, and it is just really difficult. In my day, it was just one week a year, and now it is three weeks a year, if you make it to the final, and Davis Cup it is four weeks. And now, in an Olympic year, it is just too many tournaments. It is difficult because you just cannot play all of it, and if you do play all of it that year, then you suffer the next year because the body just cannot take it. "

Thoughts on this year's French Open:

"Serena is looking good, even if clay is not her favorite surface. She did win the French Open when she was playing her best tennis, and she is heading that way. Justine Henin has not shown much this year, although she dominated so much last year. She didn’t play the Australian Open (in 2007), and then she really got going on clay courts and then hardly lost a match the rest of the year. I think those two players will be hard to beat. But it is anybody’s ballgame on the women’s side. I think Svetlana Kuznetsova is playing better tennis, as well. I think her coach has done a great job with her, and, of course, Venus cannot be discounted, either."