Fans turn out as Venus Williams takes on Sportimes
By JANE MCMANUS
THE JOURNAL NEWS


(Original publication: July 18, 2007)
MAMARONECK - A Sportimes World TeamTennis match with Venus Williams bears
little resemblance to one without. The sponsor logos go up, the big
instant-replay screen went up courtside, and the seats were officially sold
out for the first time this year.

Call it star power.

It was all worthy of the current Wimbledon champion, and Williams carried
herself like the winner of 35 singles titles and six Grand Slam titles that
she is. Walking in carrying her brand-new Cavalier King Charles puppy, named
Aorangi after the practice courts at her favorite Slam, Williams was trailed
by adults and kids alike as she moved along the paths at Sportimes Stadium in
Mamaroneck.

"I love playing because it's an opportunity for me to play more relaxed,"
Williams said. "There's a lot of tension and stress playing the Slams."

That said, Williams found herself in the middle of a tough game against the
Sportimes' Ashley Harkleroad, as the Sportimes ultimately won, 22-20.
Williams used a serve that reached 120 mph to fight back from 3-0 down, but
the Philadelphia Freedoms lost women's singles 5-3 when Williams hit a
backhand long.

Although Williams and Lisa Raymond lost women's doubles as well, the marquee
player was pivotal as she and Daniel Nestor kept winning in the final mixed
doubles event to nearly force the match to a supertiebreaker.

The Sportimes are 5-3 and in first place in the Eastern Conference.

Williams didn't just draw out local tennis fans. As the match was under way,
league co-founder Billie Jean King walked to a front-row seat. While Venus
plays four matches for Philadelphia, Serena had signed up for the St. Louis
Aces.

"They are so important to America and our sport right now," King said. "No
matter where you go in the world people ask me about Venus and Serena."

The fans may have paid dearly for single tickets to the match - seats were
between $45 and $125 - but they did get much closer than if they were to buy
tickets to the U.S. Open later this season.

The crowd was markedly more diverse; starting with the national anthem, which
was sung by the kids of Renaissance EMS Chorus, a not-for-profit group
serving inner-city youth in the Bronx, and all the way up to the grandstand
and box seats.

Williams is a member of the Philadelphia Freedoms for the second year in part
because she wanted to play with WTA Tour veteran and fellow American Lisa
Raymond.

"It's been great for TeamTennis and through Fed Cup we've gotten to know each
other a lot better," Raymond said. "She's such a champion but she loves
competing in TeamTennis."

Sharissa Ryan, a 15-year-old tennis player at Fox Lane, was one of the women
who got to the club early and took part in a free ladies clinic yesterday
afternoon, along with her mother, Lucy. The 6-foot-1 Williams ducked into a
tent afterward where the women were getting water and posed with them for a
group photo.

"She's really tall," Ryan said.

Barbara Schloss of Larchmont and her friend Phoebe Gross of Scarsdale also
liked getting a little personal attention from Williams. For Schloss, who
happened to have a day off from work, the timing was pure serendipity.

"Venus did it for me," Schloss jokingly said.

Every moment she was in view, fans followed Williams, snapping cell-phone
pictures and asking for autographs. And although Williams has always been
appropriate with her fans, this year she seemed to really enjoy the attention.

"She's really connecting," said Rosie Crews, a WTT staffer who often travels
with the marquee players.

Nick and Jill Barile of Greenwich, Conn., were here two years ago when
Williams arrived days after winning her third Wimbledon title. They were in
the sponsor tent to get pictures of Williams with themselves and their
children, Jacalyn, 10, and Matthew, 12.

"She's very easy and approachable and very happy to be here," Nick said.

The couple asked Williams about her sister Serena's Wimbledon injury and
Williams reenacted how it happened. Afterward Jill noted that, in an age of
bad-behaving young celebrities, both sisters have been terrific role models:
no DWI charges, no stints in rehab, no mug shots for tabloid fodder. As she
walked out of each appearance, Williams turned and waved with a smile.