Greetings tennis fans!

Qualifying for the 2011 U.S. Open is underway and main draw matches start next week. The last Grand Slam event of the season always brings drama with great tennis, but this year, the clear favorites aren't so clear.

- Women: #1 Caroline Wozniacki seems distracted with her golfer boyfriend and has lost early in the last couple tournaments. Kim Clijsters is out (hopefully not forever), and Venus Williams is back, but we haven't seen much of her. Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams have both won this summer but are by no means in top form.

- Men: #1 Novak Djokovic just retired in the final of Cincinnati with a shoulder injury (and though he didn't admit it, looked extremely fatigued). Mardy Fish had another successful summer (as he did last year), far surpassing countryman Andy Roddick, who is in a funk and downward spiral. Nadal and Federer are not as dominant as they once were, also taking losses leading up to the Open.

Stay tuned for an exciting couple of weeks coming up in New York.

As you're gearing up for the Open, check out the latest from the Tennis site at BellaOnline.com.

Quick Tips for Better Volleys
Whether you play singles or doubles, taking over the net with solid volleys is a skill that every player should have in their game. Use these quick tips to improve your net play

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art13493.asp

Making the High School Tennis Team
High school tennis is great for kids to learn about the game and competition, and it also offers an invaluable team experience in an otherwise individual sport. Find out how to make the team.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art7471.asp

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http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=102

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Thanks for reading and have fun on the courts!

Sandra Eggers, Tennis Editor
http://tennis.bellaonline.com