Singles Championship
Maria Sharapova (2), Russia, def. Kim Clijsters (1), Belgium, 7-5, 7-5.

Doubles Championship
Cara Black, Zimbabwe, and Rennae Stubbs (2), Australia, def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany, and Meghann Shaughnessy, United States, 6-2, 6-2.

Photos(by Pigman: Aug 5, 2006) from left to right:
Kim Clijsters of Belgium/ 2005 US open winner, Kim Clijsters/Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany/Anna-Lena Groenefeld had been practicing at Olympic Resort during Acura Classic.

If you are playing a match, the lively bounce and greater playability of pressurized balls make them the only way to go. But pressurized balls won?t survive longer than a few sets. Players who collect balls for practice or for use in ball machines would be wise to go pressureless.

Since the pressure inside the ball is equal to the air surrounding it, there is never any change in playing characteristics due to the diffusion of gas over time. The thicker rubber core of a pressureless ball provides all the ball?s hardness and resiliency, and you will wear out the felt before you deaden the ball. Pressureless balls have a lower bounce, heavier feel, and are tougher on the arm, but their durability is far superior.

Pick up a can of Wilson US Open balls or Gamma ProTour and you will notice the words “Extra Duty” or “Regular Duty” written on the can without any explanation as to the meaning. Some other brands are more forthcoming, but you don’t have to go looking for answers. What this refers to is the thickness of the felt surrounding the ball.

Extra-duty felt is thicker, which gives it added durability for use on hard courts. Play with this type of ball on clay and the dirt will slowly collect on the felt, causing the ball to fluff up and play like a muddy brick. That’s why a regular-duty ball, with its tightly woven felt, is a smarter choice on clay. Similarly, if you play with regular duty on a hard court, it will get beaten up in no time. Occasionally you will find an all-surface ball that’s designed to be a balance between the extra and regular-duty balls.

Photo: Pen tennis ball-did you know? Penn is the official choice of the USPTA and the only ball manufactured in the U.S.

Do you know the Acura Classic? The Acura Classic is held each year at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. It is the perfect venue to go and watch the best women's tennis has to offer.

Fine women's tennis players from all over the have played in this tournament of champions. Since 1989 Stephi Graf has won this hard-hitting tournament four times, and Lindsay Davenport has taken the prize two times. The most memorable winner, however, has to be Venus Williams. Venus Williams won the Acura Classic three times in a row, from the year 2000 to 2002.

The Acura Classic, July 29 - August 6, is a WTA Tier I tournament that annually draws the top women in the game competing for $1.3 million in prize money. It will be televised live on ESPN2 and Tennis Channel as part of the 100-plus hours of live television coverage for the US Open Series.

Listed below are players that have entered the 2006 Acura Classic
-Mary Pierce (FRA / WTA Ranking #6 / defending champion)
-Lindsay Davenport (USA / #7)
-Venus Williams (USA / #12)
-Kim Clijsters (BEL / #2)
-Nadia Petrove (RUS / #3)
-Maria Sharapova (RUS / #4)
-Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL / #5)
-Elena Dementieva (RUS / #8)
-Ai Sugiyama (JPN / #24 / 2005 finalist)

For more information and to purchase tickets for the Acura Classic, you can call the Tournament Box Office at 760-438-5683, or visit www.acuraclassic.com. Free parking for attendees will be available for opening weekend on Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th.