Swinging with the Pros.

JAMES BLAKE Age: 21

Statistics: The nation's No. 1 college tennis player as a sophomore at Harvard University, 1998-1999. The nation's No. 1 junior tennis player in 1997. Turned pro after attending Harvard University for two years.

There's no magic trick or top secret code

behind the heights James Blake has reached. The method to this pro tennis player's success is simple: practice, practice, and even more practice. His dedication to perfecting his game paid off when he secured two major endorsement deals. Nike offered him a five-year contract to wear the company's gear for his matches and Dunlop signed him to a three-year contract to exclusively use its tennis rackets.

"When my agent gave me the first offer, I didn't know what to say," admits James. "I had never been in this type of world. It was totally foreign to me." James is also reaping big bucks whenever he wins a match. He's especially excited that his hard work and many days of practice took him to Wimbledon 2001 to play in the doubles tournament. James believes his appearance at Wimbledon is a testament to his diligence. Also in late July, Blake reached the semifinals at the 2001 Miller Life Hall of Fame Tennis championship in Newport, Rhode Island.

JEWEL PETERSON Age: 20

Statistics: Named to the ITA All-American first team and earned ALL-Pac 10 honorable mentions. Won two consecutive ITA Rolex Regional singles titles. Ranked No. 9 in 2001 ITA pre-season.

University of Southern California sophomore Jewel Peterson is held in very high regard by USC's head women's tennis coach and staunch supporters. Perhaps it's because the Trojan tennis sensation is strictly business when she serves it up on the tennis courts and is currently ranked ninth in the WingspanBank.com National Collegiate Singles Rankings. Coach Richard Gallien describes Jewel's skills best: "Jewel continues to prove that she has a tremendous amount of talent and power. She's a player who is not afraid to try new things so she can continue to improve." Try is what she does and success is what always follows--even if it's not necessarily a title win. She's had some close calls with major victories, having won the 2000 ATA title, thus earning a wildcard entry into the U.S. Open qualifying tournament. Jewel aspires to improve her ranking and to continue wowing the competition on the courts.

JAMEA JACKSON Age: 15

Statistics: Won the USTA National Championships and World Junior Championships. Ranked in top five in the 2001 USTA 13- to 14-year-old division. Ranked 50th in the ITF 18-and-under.

As one of the youngest players to compete in last September's U.S. Open junior tournament, Jamea Jackson proved that she's a force to be reckoned with. The Bradenton, Florida, native continues to flex her tennis muscles on the courts against opponents who are older than she is. Jamea can handle the competition. In her daily practice sessions, she makes it her priority to work on her right-hand serve, to build up her speed and endurance, and to increase her power play performance. Such dedication has been working in her favor, too. Last year, she won the USTA National Championships and World Junior Championships, among other victories. This year is no different in terms of tennis success. She forges onward match after match, and it seems this young powerhouse just can't be stopped.

Her hard work has also taken her across the globe to such places as Argentina, England, Chile, France, Holland, Paraguay, and Spain to compete in tennis tournaments.

MEGAN BRADLEY Age: 18

Statistics: Won the singles and doubles at the USTA Girls' 16s Nationals in 1999. Ranked No. 1 in the country for Under-16 division, which garnered her position on Team USA. Won the singles and doubles titles at the 1999 Easter Bowl Tennis Tournament. Represented the United States at the NEC World Youth Cup.

Megan Bradley may just be the best kept secret in tennis. The University of California-Los Angeles freshman has incredible skills on the court. This was definitely something that head coach Stella Sampras picked up on and one of the reasons why she was invited to join the Bruins. "Megan is probably the best recruit in the country, and we're extremely excited that she chose to come to UCLA," says Sampras. "She's a very athletic and talented player who just dominates and overpowers her opponents." There is no limit to what she'll be able to do as a UCLA Bruin. The world has only to wait, then watch how Megan's going to serve them.

GENIUS CHIDZIKWE Age: 22

Statistics: Made Southern Methodist University history when he became only the second tennis player to win the ITA Grand Slam at the 1999 All-American Tournament in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Genius Chidzikwe's tennis accomplishments read like the who's who among young tennis players in the world. He's had incredible staying power in both singles and doubles tournaments for all of his matches, including NCAA Championships. He's even been named WAC Player of the Year.

The Zimbabwe native has won prestigious tournaments, including the 1998 Zimbabwe Open Senior Championships and three ITA Texas Collegiate Summer Circuit Events, and Genius is a three-time winner of the Zimbabwe Junior Open. And he was a top-ranked player in his homeland in the 17- to 18- year-old category.

Although he's lost a few matches--as do all tennis greats at some point in their playing career--his seasons have always been impressive, as is he when you meet the hospitable and courteous gentleman. As this year progresses, there's clearly no stopping this fiery force as Genius vies for additional titles and an improved ITA ranking.

THOMAS BLAKE Age: 24

Statistics: Winner of the 1999 doubles title at the USTA Challenger in Winnetka, Illinois. All-American as a Harvard University sophomore. Turned pro in 1998 after graduating from Harvard.

The mind-set of any athlete dedicated to his sport is to suck up the pain when injury occurs--even if seems too much to bear. That's what 24-year-old tennis pro Thomas Blake did. Even though he felt sharp pains shooting through his right wrist after playing several tournaments in Mexico last May, he continued battling opponents on the court. He assumed the aches and pains were a result of tendinitis and figured they would go away. However, after finally consulting a physician, Thomas discovered that he had a torn ligament that required surgery. Between the pain, and his recovery period following the procedure in January, he's been on and off the court for almost a year--which has affected his ranking (he fell to No. 550). But he is hopeful that he can turn things around and get back to the business of tennis. Thomas reminds himself that above all, tennis is a mental sport, and if you're mentally defeated, the physical defeat is sure to follow. And he says he won't let this become his reality.