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Bianca Peart

Bianca Peart

Taylor Townsend Makes US Open Debut against Her Idol, Serena Williams

It was 2007 when Taylor Townsend was sitting in the nosebleeds watching Serena and Venus Williams play a night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Fast-forward to 2014 where Townsend earned a huge seat upgrade, not simply in the front row, but on the court, as the opponent of the No. 1 seed, Serena Williams, at the same stadium for the opening-round match of her US Open debut.

When Townsend found out about the news she didn't believe it.

"I found out on Twitter," she said. "Okay, let me double-check. It was true. So then I was just immediately really excited. I just thought that it was a huge opportunity."

Townsend turned professional at the end of the 2012 season after achieving the world No. 1-ranking as a junior, the first American girl to do so in 30 years. She made her Grand Slam debut earlier this year at Roland Garros as a wild card and advanced to the third round.

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Townsend winning 2012 Australian Open girls’ singles title. Photo: Shuji Kajiyama/Associated Press

In lieu of the 18-year old Townsend's success, she looks up to Serena as she is one of the main reasons why Townsend is present in the tennis world.

"I mean, Serena's an African-American woman from Compton, California who won [now 18] Grand Slam titles. Like, who would have thought? Anything is possible. She's paved the way for me and not only African-American girls but girls in general, people in general, [she] just has changed the game of tennis. I think I've just learned from her story that anything is possible."

Their friendship blossomed last year at the Fed Cup in Delray Beach, Florida, when she talked to Serena and Venus Williams during a rain delay. Surprisingly they didn't talk about tennis, just casual girl-talk about hair and nails. Then later in Charleston, South Carolina, they chatted again for more than an hour and capped it off with selfies at the players' party.

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Taylor Townsend’s selfie with Serena and Venus Williams

Williams was just as excited to play Townsend for the opening draw match.

"We're really good friends. We always talk and always text each other. It's going to be a really tough match for me." Serena continued,"she's such a great player. [She's] extremely young. I have been able to see her play a little bit. She does everything really, really well."

Entering the match, they both won in the nail department. Townsend wore a gel manicure with deep, hot pink polish with blue tips. Williams rocked pastel pink nail polish with crystal, pink and black leopard-prints her middle nails. But only one could win the tennis match, which was Serena 6-3, 6-1 who moved on to win her first 1st Grand Slam title of 2014.

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American professional tennis player, Taylor Townsend  Photo Credit: Getty Images

 

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Legendary American professional tennis player, Serena Williams, rocking pale pink manicure. Photo Credits: Getty Images (right) and AP (left)

Although Townsend lost the match she didn't let it get to her negatively. She was honored to face her idol and was all smiles.

"I just tried to go out on the court and really have a good time, embrace the moment, embrace the crowd and just use it. I did the best that I could."

The match helped put in perspective that she's doing all the right things - her serve can be a weapon and she can be a threat in the pro circuit with her style of play.
Serena also applauded Taylor and referred to her as the "Future of Tennis." Williams continued to speak positively of Townsend.

"She's a lefty. I always wanted to be lefty," she said smiling with envy. Why does Serena envy lefties? "That just in general puts you on a whole new level as a player. She's a very aggressive player. She comes to the net, she makes her shots. You don't really see that in tennis so much. You see players that, you know, stay aback and hug the baselines, as I do. But it's good, refreshing, and I think it's the future of tennis just by doing what she does."

Just how Townsend is inspired by Serena's story, Taylor is creating a story of her own for the current and future generations of tennis.

"I've always said that I wanted to use my tennis to inspire and help people. I want to continue [to be an inspiration and role model] as I progress in the pros and get better just because if we have these gifts and talents [and] we don't use it to help try to make a difference, then it really doesn't matter."

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Taylor Townsend with kids before the 2013 New Haven Open Tennis Tournament at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Photo Credit: Bill Weiss/New Haven Open

As Townsend said, "anything is possible." It took her seven years to earn her huge seat upgrade, which she saw as unfathomable at the time.

Townsend serves as a refreshing reminder that one can achieve their dreams with hard work and dedication.

  • Published in Tennis

Bianca Peart

BiancaPeart LinkedInBianca Peart, a host of What's the 411Sports, is a self-starter in the industry.

On the streets of Manhattan, Bianca developed her reporting skills by purchasing a microphone that connected to her iPhone and covering political rallies. Her persistence and drive landed her an opportunity to interview top designers such as Marc Jacobs, Elie Tahari, and Norisol Ferrari at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. She also reported at the Spare Cells, Save Lives Networking Fundraiser hosted by Chrisette Michele where she interviewed honorees Bronx Councilman, Andy King; Global Grind's Editor- in-Chief and Political Director to Russell Simmons, Michael Skolnick; and the R&B and soul singer-songwriter herself, Chrisette Michelle.

Bianca's interests include traveling and learning about different cultures, honing her Spanish-speaking skills, uplifting the youth, and playing and watching sports. As a recent Business graduate from The Pennsylvania State University, Bianca cultivated an entrepreneurial mindset for helping others. She co-founded a business magazine, CRITIQUE, which provides valuable information about obtaining internships and full-time positions. She also founded the Multicultural Women's Forum which prepares women for successful entry into a competitive business world. These organizations led Bianca towards an interest in public speaking and helping others by sharing resourceful information - which quickly transformed into her desire for reporting.

Bianca currently works at The College Board and the Brooklyn Nets. She is ecstatic to embark on her journey with What's The 411 team and ready for the viewers to travel along and grow with her as she shares stories.

Sabine Lisicki Surpasses Venus Williams with World’s Fastest Serve

July 29, 2014, marked a historic date for the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) where Sabine Lisicki from Germany clocked the world's fastest serve among women at 131 MPH in Stanford, California.

Guinness World Record awarded Lisicki with a certificate on Friday, August 22 before the 2014 US Open kicked off. At the time when she set the record, Lisicki didn't realize her serve was that fast.

"I felt that I hit it very hard and good but it was only when I heard the crowd that I realized it was 131 (MPH) when I looked at the board."

As with any tennis player, Lisicki's main priority is to serve the ball inbounds.

"It's a natural thing. I just throw up the ball and hit it as hard as I can but not really thinking about it because it obviously has to go in so that's the main priority."

Lisicki is very excited about her world record and added: "I had 130 (MPH) serve about four years ago but it wasn't an official one, so I'm very happy that this one's official."

The previous record was set in 2007 by Venus Williams, who clocked in at 129 MPH during the US Open against Alla Kudryavtseva from Russia. This was the same year Venus won Wimbledon. Williams still holds a separate record where she became the lowest-ranked (no. 31) and lowest-seeded player (23 seed) to ever win Wimbledon.

Lisicki opened against a qualifier, Françoise Abanda from Canada. Abanda is a young star, 17 years old, whose parents hail from Cameroon, Africa. This is Abanda's debut at the senior level in the main draw of the US Open, ranking in at her career high, number 205.

 Francoise Abanda The-Canadian-Press Graham-Hughes

 Canadian tennis player by way of the Cameroon, Francoise Abanda. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Graham-Hughes

Williams, who is 34 years old, knocked out an even older opponent, 43-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm from Japan in the first round in a three-set thriller.

We'll look forward to seeing milestones reached in this tournament whether it's Lisicki meeting or surpassing her current serving speed record, Taylor Townsend shocking the world by defeating Serena Williams, or perhaps, Venus Williams winning the US Open.

 

  • Published in Tennis

Amnesty International: Brooklyn Brings Human Rights Home

What's The 411TV host Bianca Peart was on the red carpet at the Barclays Center for Amnesty International's concert for human rights. Ms. Lauryn Hill headlined the concert and actress Susan Sarandon emceed the event.

Uniting a new generation of human rights supporters, Amnesty International hosted its "Bringing Human Rights Home" benefit concert at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Artists who performed included 2014 Grammy Award Winning Group - IMAGINE DRAGONS, THE FRAY, MS. LAURYN HILL and THE FLAMING LIPS. This video also includes interviews with: COLBIE CAILLAT; WAYNE COYNE; INDIE DUO TEGAN SARA, and COLD WAR KIDS, NATHAN WILLETT and MATT AVEIRO.

Actress and human rights activist, Susan Sarandon emceed the concert.

MADONNA introduced special guest speakers MASHA ALYOKHINA and NADYA TOLOKONNIKOVA, members of Moscow's punk art collective group PUSSY RIOT, who were recently imprisoned for 21 months in Russia for "hooliganism on the grounds of religious hatred" which violated President Vladimir Putin's regime against gay and human rights.

WATCH VIDEO: CELEBS ON RED CARPET AND MS. LAURYN HILL FOOTAGE

 

  • Published in Concerts
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