May 2001

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Web Site Updates:

I've added a new Photo of the Month.

Tennis:

FED CUP:Tennis teams from Italy, Argentina, Australia and the Slovak Republic each won Fed Cup first-round matches, advancing to the second round in late July. Italy next plays France, Argentina faces Germany, Australia will host Switzerland and the Slovak Republic goes up against Russia. The reigning champion USA has already qualified for the finals in November, along with Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

Venus and Serena Williams were overwhelmed with emotion Friday as they were honored for their "courage and tenacity" at the 14th annual Essence Awards at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Italian Open: Venus Williams has decided to withdraw from Italian Open, May 14-20, citing a knee injury. The 2000 Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Olympic champion is currently playing at the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg.

Damir Dokic, father of Yugoslavian tennis player Jelena Dokic, was in the stands for the first time in six months at the Betty Barclay Cup. Mr. Dokic was banned from women's tennis until the end of April, both as a coach and as a spectator, after being tossed from both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year following confrontations with authorities.

Attendance at WTA Tour events is up 9% from last year.

Surfing: No. 2-ranked surfer Megan Abubo of Hawaii defeated fourth-ranked Australian Melanie Redman on Thursday to win the inaugural Roxy Fiji Surf Jam on Tavarua Island, Fiji. Defending three-time world champion Layne Beachley finished ninth, her worst result in four years.

Golf:

College Golf: Jackson State's women's golf team is the first squad ever from a historically black college to advance to the NCAA regional championships. The Jackson State women will play in the 21-team NCAA East Regional, May 10-12, in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Lady Tigers are seeded 20th.

LPGA: Rosie Jones sank a four-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole Sunday to defeat Korea's Mi Hyun Kim and win the Kathy Ireland Championship in Austin, Texas. Jones captured the 11th title of her career and ended a 10-tournament victory drought for the Americans on the LPGA Tour.

JLPGA: Karrie Webb won the $500,000 Nichirei Cup for the second straight year, closing with a 1-under-par 71 Sunday for a six-stroke victory. The Australian star finished at 10-under 278, earning $90,000 for the victory at Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club.

Marketing News:

Subaru has re-signed tennis great Martina Navratilova, along with snowboarder Victoria Jalouse and mountain biker Tara Llanes, to promote the Forester SUV.

Cheerios is now the official cereal of the LPGA, replacing Multi-Grain Cheerios, another General Mills brand, which was last year's official cereal. In addition, Cheerios will continue to sponsor three of the LPGA's top players - Lorie Kane, Cristie Kerr and Janice Moodie - throughout the 2001 season.