Venus Williams reaches Barbados for the exciting event this week – Tennis News
The much anticipated Tennis Pon de Rock event is about to begin this weekend in Barbados and the tennis stars have started arriving the island. Former world number one, America’s Venus Williams, has arrived Barbados on Thursday
for playing the exciting tennis event to be played this Saturday.
The American veteran has been sidelined from the professional tennis throughout the 2011 WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) season due to a series of injuries and illness. Venus’ voyage at Barbados is seen to be a part of her preparations
to make an impactful comeback in the next season and a test of her physical fitness.
Venus’ sister, Serena Williams, has also been a participant at the Tennis Pon de Rock event two years back and her elder sister will be seen in action this time round. A number of top class tennis athletes will be playing exhibition
matches in Barbados this weekend, with a large number of tennis fans anxiously waiting to see the big names in action.
Current world number three, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, will be going one-on-one against Venus in the exhibition match in Barbados. The two top class performers will be seen in action after a gap of two years. Venus has faced
Azarenka twice on prior occasions and has been victories on both occurrences.
The first encounter between the two took place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Venus outplayed the Belarusian in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Their last meeting was held in the final of a WTA event in Dubai in 2010 and Azarenka
was again taken down in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, to lose the title winning opportunity.
In the males’ event, world number 16 Gael Monfils of France will be taking on the 18th ranked American, John Isner, this weekend in Barbados. The two belligerent contestants are 3-3 against each other in the head-to-head
combats in singles encounters and their exhibition matchup is anticipated to be a treat to watch for the local crowd.
Monfils and Isner have already encountered once in the semi-final round at Washington in the current year, where Monfils was victorious in three sets to level the record at 3-3 with the American. The French will also be the hot
favourite for the exhibition contest this weekend against Isner.
All the proceeds from the Tennis Pon de Rock event will be awarded to serve tennis in Barbados, with the School Tennis Initiative Development Programme being the top most priority to promote the sport on school level in the region.
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