NORCROSS, GA - Even though this is the second year of the Atlanta Tennis Championships there is a lot of "new" to talk about in 2011.

A new venue, a new tournament director, and a generation of new players that will kick off the 2011 Olympus U.S. Open Series this weekend in Atlanta.

Starting with the venue, the tournament this year comes to the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross, GA. The previous site, the Atlanta Athletic Club is hosting the PGA Championship this August so it wasn't possible to play there again. The Racquet Club of the South offers more space, more shade, and a true stadium court for the feature matches.

The new tournament director is Bob Bryant. Bryant replaces Bill Oakes who moved to the new Winston-Salem Open ATP event. Bryant is excited about this year's new venue, especially the already in place stadium court. "Beacuse of that sunken court and (the fact) the existing seats that were there are so steep, you’re really surrounding the court. And one of the things we’re changing this year is, instead of the champagne tables on one end, we’re really surrounding it with seats. So, ... with the court six feet down and the seats coming right up to it, it really creates this bowl," explained Bryant.

If you like watching players moving up the rankings that might be Grand Slam champs a year or so down the road, this is the tournament for you. The likes of Ryan Harrison and Grigor Dimitrov should be in the main draw come Monday, along with other familiar names like Ryan Sweeting and Donald Young. Denis Kudla is in the qualifying and he's coming off a good showing at Newport.

It's always good balance out all the "newness" with some familiarity, and this year's Atlanta Tennis Championships does just that.

Let's start with the fans and volunteers. Atlanta is tennis crazy and when men's professional tennis went away in the 2000's there was a void that needed to be filled. Many of the fans attending and the volunteers working this year have been with the tournament since is was played at the Omni back in 1986. Ask any ATP tournament director and he will say that volunteers are the lifeblood of the event, and it wouldn't be possible without them. Atlanta's vounteers work harder than anyone in extremely hot conditions, they are troopers.

Looking at the players, a bunch of grizzled veterans (I won't call them old) are looking to stave off the youth movement and claim another title for the old guard. Included in this group are defending champ Mardy Fish and three former top five players in Lleyton Hewitt, Tommy Haas and James Blake. Hewitt is a former Wimbledon champ and #1 player in the world.

While not top heavy, the draw is deep. The contrast of new stars vs. former top 5 players makes this a very interesting event. ESPN2 and Tennis Channel will be on hand starting Friday to cover the action.

JOHN'S CREEK, GA - The most intense heat of the Atlanta summer hit The Falls at Autrey Mill Tennis Center this week, where play is being contested in the Norman Wilkerson Memorial USTA Pro Circuit Tournament.  This is a tournament where young players on women's tour are attempting to earn their stripes and move up to larger tournaments all over the world.

The USTA representative running the Pro Circuit event, Missy Malool has been making sure players, linespeople and volunteers are prepared for the extreme heat.  Malool is a veteran when it comes to running events like this as she's been doing it for 15 years.  It's the players that make it all worthwhile for Malool. "They are all good kids," Malool commented as she went over her preparations for the day.  

Round of 16 action began at 9 a.m. sharp to avoid the heat of the day for singles matches.

The feature match of the morning showcased a former NCAA champion in Amanda McDowell playing a hard hitting Chinese player in Xin Win.  Win contrasted McDowell's steady game with big serves and more aggressive play, but McDowell appeared to be more accustomed to the Georgia heat and that was enough to win in straights.

On outside courts, fans were able to catch a glimpse of a 15 and a 16-year old who may be the next big names in American women's tennis, Taylor Townsend and Hannah King.  The two girls both hail from the state of Georgia, so home court advantage was in play for both.

15-year old Townsend was showing the form that earned her a semi-final birth in a 50K event earlier this year in Carson, CA.  Townsend pounded away from the baseline to beat a talented Italian player in Federica Grazioso.

Out on Court 3, King, a blonde lefty who plays remarkably like Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova was a sight to see.  After a slow start, King showed why her all-court game will take her up the WTA rankings sooner rather than later. Playing a competent Russian in Angelina Gabueva, King pulled out all the stops.  This match was a battle of wills and the Russian had a little too much experience in the end to take a three-set victory.  

Also advancing to the quarters to be played on  Friday were top seeded Lauren Davis, another improving junior player in Hayley Carter of Hilton Head Island, SC, American player Alexis King, and a scrappy Chinese player in Di Zhao.

Friday's top two matches will bring together McDowell and current college player from the University of Florida, Lauren Embree.  Embree, who was granted a wildcard into the event has been very impressive.  She makes very few unforced errors and anticipates very well.  This contest is too close to call.

In the second feature match, Davis, one of America's top young players will face an unknown (a least to her) in Zhao.

Notes: Temperatures may actually cool off a few degrees heading into the weekend so heat indices will be 100 degrees instead of 108.

Among the faces seen on the grounds Friday morning were former ATP Tour player and current Georgia Tech women's coach Bryan Shelton, former WTA top-10 player Stephanie Rehe who is serving as a trainer this week, and Ken Thomas from RadioTennis.com.

JOHN'S CREEK, GA -  No courtesy cars, no complimentary hotel rooms and very little prize money. Such is life on the summer USTA Women's Pro Circuit, where players from all over the world are trying to win valuable WTA ranking points and enough money to stay afloat. Picture rookie league baseball.

There is no glitz and glamour for these players, especially for the 96 entrants trying to secure one of eight main draw spots in the $10K Norman Wilkerson Memorial Tournament held outside of Atlanta each July. The tournament is one of ten events this size held in the U.S. each year.

This is the first year this event is being held at the upscale Falls at Autrey Mill Tennis Center in John's Creek, GA. The irony of multi-million dollar homes surrounding tennis courts where players might not even make a penny for the week isn't lost on anyone including the players.

While two players were looking at some Kia SUV's parked at the entrance to the tennis complex, showcased because Kia is a presenting sponsor, one player asked the other, "I wonder if the winner of singles and doubles get a vehicle?" The second player just walked away.

Post-It notes on the tournament table have names of players looking for roommates for the week to share on expenses. Could you see a yellow scrap of paper saying Roger Federer needs a roommate for the week at the Western & Southern Open? Not going to happen.

While the temperatures and humidity greeting the players each day are downright brutal, the tournamant is very well run by USTA officials and local volunteers. Local businesses run the concessions and proceeds go to a local charity.  USTA umpires roam the eight courts that are used during qualifying play. 

Because it's a popular stop, this Atlanta events usually gets a fairly strong draw. Former Georgia Tech standout, Irina Falconi who is now hovering around #100 in the world won this event last year.

This year, 17-year-old Lauren Davis, who is the top-ranked player to enter the event. Davis won the USTA Pro Circuit event in Buffalo, N.Y., in June, and finished 2010 by winning six events in the last three months of the year, including three junior championships, two USTA Pro Circuit titles and a USTA playoff to earn a wild card into the main draw of the 2011 Australian Open.

Amanda McDowell, who won the 2008 NCAA singles title as a sophomore at Georgia Tech en route to Player of the Year honors is also in the draw along with 15-year-old Taylor Townsend, a native of Stockbridge, Ga., who trains full time at the USTA Training Center-Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., and who reached the semifinals of a USTA Pro Circuit $50,000 event in Carson, Calif., as a qualifier in May.

17-year-old Lauren Herring, who won her first professional title in 2010 at the USTA Pro Circuit $10,000 event in Amelia Island, Fla., and who will play collegiately for the University of Georgia this fall; 16-year-old Jan Abaza, who won the 2010 US Open National Playoffs Florida Sectional Qualifying Tournament, and who reached the quarterfinals earlier this year at the $10,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Hilton Head Island.

Other entrants this week include two American juniors who are both lefties and happen to be from the Atlanta area. 18-year old Caroline Price is the daughter of former NBA All-Star Mark Price will be heading to North Carolina after playing summer tournaments and Hannah King, a 16-year old who plays a lot like Wimbledon champ, Petra Kvitova.

Should be high drama in the scorching temperatures this week. Whoever wins will will not only have to beat the heat, but also a bunch of talented young tennis players looking to be the next big thing in professional tennis.

Other than the Bryan Brothers and a few doubles players with names known to only hardcore tennis fans, Mardy Fish is the lone American left at Wimbledon.

Fish earned a place in the final eight by beating last year's runner-up Tomas Berdych 7-6 6-4 6-4. Fish dominated the match and kept the Czech off balance right to the finish.

Fish is playing smart tennis and using his serve effectively on the grass. "That was one of the best serving days of my life," Fish said in a post match interview.

The American right-hander has only dropped one service game in reaching the quarterfinals and should be feeling good knowing he hasn't had to play a long five-set match.

The same can't be said for his opponent, Rafael Nadal who now is nursing an injury that will require a Tuesday MRI.

In a late-day match, Nadal overcame Juam Martin Del Potro 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in just under four hours. Nadal hurt his foot in the first set. "I asked for the trainer at that moment when the game was done. I seriously didn't know at that moment if I will have the chance to continue playing.

"I don’t know what the problem is, it seems to be a problem with the bone in the foot.

"I thought I would have to retire at the end of the first set because there was a lot of pain. But the tape changed the situation. Now I will have to check with the doctors and the physios. Something is there.

The defending Wimbledon champion said his upcoming opponent Mardy Fish was a dangerous player, admitting he'd need to be at his most competitive on Wednesday to beat the man who toppled 2010 finalist Tomas Berdych in straight sets.  Nadal seems concerned.

"I need be at my hundred per cent. If not, gonna be impossible against him. So I have to recover."

Fish has never beaten Nadal, but with Nadal's tender foot and he match being played on grass, Fish might still be carrying the flag for American tennis come the semifinals.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, more than any other player in tennis history, is known for her daring tennis fashions.  Like this. And this. And this. And this. And this.

But historically, Bethanie's fashion adventurousness has been kept strictly to the tennis court.

Until last night's annual WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party hosted by Richard Branson, that is.

(Getty)

While this looks like something that would get a Project Runway contestant sent home pretty early in the competition, the dress does have its benefits.  The top could probably detach and become a chest protector for a home plate umpire. And the color is sure to keep her safe while crossing the streets of London at night.

But seriously, this prove that when it comes to fashion, Bethanie has some balls on her. For her to go to London between matches in Eastbourne to do this shows her dedication to the tennis fashion cause.

Bethanie is one of the players who is part of the Xperia HotShots promotion, which likely is the reason that she was partnered up with designer Alex Noble, who is one of the main creators of Lady Gaga's looks.

Pretty cool to see the long term effort that the WTA put into this whole project (as detailed in the video below). 

The other night, my sister was asking me why there is so little about Lady Gaga on The Daily Forehand.  And after several seconds of contemplating that neglect I didn't really have an answer for her. 

But now and forever more, I can proudly point to this post as being the moment at which Lady Gaga and tennis finally intersected, without it even being too much of a stretch. 

My work here is done.

Just hours after being named the #2 seed in the Ladies' Singles draw, 2011 Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters has withdrawn from Wimbledon. Clijsters cited the ankle/foot injury that kept her out of most the clay season as her reason, saying that she reaggravated it during her loss to Romina Oprandi in the second round of 's-Hertogenbosch this week.

Said Clijsters in a statement:

"I'm very very disappointed to have to withdraw from Wimbledon after injuring my foot again at the tournament in 's-Hertogenbosch. At this moment I feel frustrated that it has to happen now before one of my favourite tournaments. I've always enjoyed being a part of the Wimbledon atmosphere but I have no other choice now but to rest, recover and to not play tennis for a few weeks."

Clijsters initial injury occurred while dancing at a wedding, making this the second injury to a top contender in less than a year suffered in a non-tennis celebratory setting (the other being Serena Williams' glass ridden foot, obviously). 

With her loss to Arantxa Rus in the second round of Roland Garros in May, it doesn't seem like Clijsters has ever been near 100% health since hurting her foot.

Jack's math held up, so these are now the actual Top 16 seeds.

Tennis historian and statistician to the stars Jack Cunniff (@jcunniff), who I know from way back in my earliest internet tennis days, has used the formula used by the All-England Club to project what the seeds should look like for the Gentlemen's Singles draw at The Championships, Wimbledon 2011.

The women's seedings for the Ladies' Singles draw allows for considerably more subjectivity and flexibility, but the men's seeds should be knowable in advance.  They take into account not only the players current ATP ranking (the sole basis of seeding at every other event), but also the player's success (or lack thereof) on grass courts in the previous two years.

Here are the projected seeds for Gentlemen's Singles for Wimbledon 2011, with their current ATP rankings in parentheses (affected seeds are bolded):

1. Rafael Nadal (1)
   
2. Novak Djokovic (2)
   
3. Roger Federer (3)
   
4. Andy Murray (4)
   
5. Robin Soderling (5)
   
6. Tomas Berdych (6)
   
7. David Ferrer (7)
   
8. Andy Roddick (10)
   
9. Gael Monfils (8)
   
10. Mardy Fish (9)
    
11. Jurgen Melzer (11)
    
12. Viktor Troicki (12)
    
13. Stanislas Wawrinka (14)
    
14. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (18)
    
15. Gilles Simon (16)
    
16. Nicolas Almagro (15)
    

So there you have it.  The top seven seeds stay true to the rankings, but from there on there's some mild shuffling of the deck.

The biggest bumps are given to Andy Roddick (a three-time Wimbledon finalist), who now wouldn't have to play a higher seed until the quarterfinals at the earliest, and to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinalist (with an impressive 9-3 career record at SW19) who made the finals of Queen's Club on grass last week. 

The biggest dropper is Richard Gasquet, the current ATP #13, who falls out of the top sixteen altogether under the formula.  Ironically, Gasquet's only career grand slam semifinal appearance came back in 2007, when he beat Roddick in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, on grass.  The formula does not account for this however, only reaching back to cover 2009 and 2010, both years in which Gasquet missed Wimbledon due to injury.

(h/t Jack, again)

Now I know that there are at least 102 reasons to love Wimbledon after reading this book by noted author David Green.

While Green lists his 101 reasons, the 102nd needs to be this book itself.

From the founding of the All England Croquet Club in 1868, to the Borg/McEnroe rivalry of the 70's, the dominance of the Williams' Sisters and the current excellence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, this book covers it all without beating you over the head with it. It even closes with a recap of last year's marathon match with John Isner and Nicolas Mahut.

While it may not be a James Patterson novel, it is well written and contains enough facts and figures to appeal to the tennis fan that thinks he knows it all.

And those pictures. What really makes this book are the images. Anyone who has been to The Championships Wimbledon knows that pictures hardly do this place justice, but the images scattered around the pages of this book bring back memories from my trip to SW19 which was a decade ago.

When you get to the end of this book, you'll know why the club has an "all white dress code", who was known as "the Dior of Centre Court" and what kind of grass would need you need to plant to have a lawn reminiscent of the courts at the All England Club.

It's all in the book and more. It's great summer reading and a great read leading up to Wimbledon 2011. It's available at finer bookstores and at Amazon.