In case you missed what is already being labeled as the best Wimbledon finale in tennis history, you're in luck. Wimbledon.org has a nice (free) byproduct of their live video coverage this year. It's a large number of the matches available for download and later viewing. In the case of the Nadal/Federer final, the match is broken up into three 600-MB downloads, so clear up some disk space first.

Find and download your match here:
http://wimbledon.mediazone.com/US/mens_singles.html
http://wimbledon.mediazone.com/US/ladies_singles.html

Thank you, Wimbledon!

Clay is dirty, unpredictable and can leave you face down in the dust. In short, some of the best tennis out there.

The slower court, increased rallies and wide varity of shots require your game to be at its best. To help you adjust to the nuances of clay, here are seven strategies for perfecting your slide game.

Build Your Endurance
Although clay is a lower-impact game, the long rallies mean you must be in top condition. Your endurance will be tested in the longer matches mixed with intermittent short bursts of speed where balance, flexibility and composure are vital for economy of shot.

Diversify Your Portfolio
Playing on clay gives you a chance to use every shot in your repertoire. Cross-courts, drops, slices and topspin groundstrokes are essentials. And ball placement is crucial. If your arsenal doesn't contain these gems it's time to practice up, especially with drills that involve at least six shots.

All About the Angle
The serve and volley associated with hardcourt games is tough to reproduce on clay. Your best tactic is to drill cross-court shots and keep your opponent moving. You may have to hit a number of shots before you get the right chance to win the point. Eventually you will find yourself with a wide-open court where the wins is just a tap away.

The Slide
Although sliding into a shot isn't essential, it sure looks good. Sliding on clay takes a little getting used to at first, but is an effective way to slow momentum and prepare you for the return. Try sliding on a smooth surface at home wearing socks. Notice how the pros do it using the toe of their back foot to assist the stop and aid in the transition.

The Toughest Virtue: Patience
The slowness of clay refers not only to the slower speed of the bounce, but also the increased time involved in winning the set. Although down-the-line wins may come easy at first, once you tire you'll find your unforced errors increasing or your return dropping in speed. Instead of relying on your hardcourt strategy, stick to the cross-court game plan and wait for your winner opening.

Hit Behind Your Opponent
Clay is a slippery surface to play on and makes it difficult to change direction quickly. A good strategy when playing on clay is to aim your shots behind your opponent in hopes that they won't have the time or agility to change direction and return. The downside: Be ready for your opponent to do the same thing me to you.

Head South
If you can't go to Spain and hit with the best, find a clay court in your area and practice as much as you can. Dig into it, slide around, get dirty. It's not very often you get to play in dirt, so make the most of it.

USTA Tennis Block Party
For Active.com

All throughout the month of May the USTA is serving up tennis in a fun, exciting,
and dynamic way through a series of “Tennis Block Parties” to help
celebrate National Tennis Month.

Tennis Block Parties are series of grassroots events designed to highlight
the game of tennis in a fun and interactive way. Hosted at public parks facilities,
Tennis Block Parties are causin’ a racquet in your town—featuring
three hours of tennis instruction, interactive games, and attractions that offer
people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds the opportunity to learn and
enjoy the benefits of the tennis.

So, if you’re lookin’ to get into the game, have some fun, compete,
or just work on your fitness, grab your family and friends and head out to the
USTA Block Party that’s hittin’ your town!

Block Parties by state:

AZ 5/4/08 Chandler Chandler Tennis Center
AZ 5/17/08 Flagstaff Flagstaff Athletic Club Mulitplex
AZ 5/24/08 Phoenix Phoenix Tennis Center
AZ 5/31/08 Prescott Prescott Racquet Club
CA 5/4/08 San Diego Balboa Tennis Club
CA 5/10/08 Upland City of Fontana - San Sevaine Park
CA 5/17/08 Riverside Riverside Community College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue
CA 5/17/08 Los Angeles Griffith Park - Riverside Courts
CA 5/18/08 Santa Monica Reed Park, 7th & Wilshire
CA 5/18/08 Valencia Summit Park
CO 5/10/08 Fort Collins Northside Aztlan Center / Lee Martinez Park
CO 5/17/08 Fraser Fraser Town Courts
CO 5/17/08 Arvada Arvada Tennis Center
CO 5/17/08 Denver Washington Park & City Park
CO 5/17/08 Denver City Park
CO 5/17/08 Castle Rock Castle View High School
CO 5/31/08 Boulder CO Boulder South Tennis Courts
CT 5/3/08 Stamford Scalzi Park
CT 5/31/08 Branford East Shore Park
DE 5/14/08 Dover Dover Park
DE 5/15/08 Middletown Middletown High School
DE 5/16/08 Wilmington Rodney Street Park in the Street - 11th and Market Streets

FL 5/2/08 Cape Coral Rutenberg Community Park
FL 5/3/08 Pompano Beach Lee High School
FL 5/4/08 Melbourne Kiwi Tennis Club
FL 5/10/08 Clearwater Henry L. McMullen Tennis Complex
FL 5/10/08 Tampa Hillsborough Community College (Tennis Complex)
FL 5/23/08 Melbourne Fee Ave. and Desoto Parks
GA 1/12/08 St. Marys Camden County High School
GA 3/8/08 Cartersville Dellinger Park Tennis Center
GA 5/2/08 Macon Downtown Square
GA 5/10/08 Savannah Daffin Park , Leisure Services of Savannah
GA 5/27/08 Scottsdale Glenlake Tennis Center
GA 6/7/08 Albany Albany
HI 5/3/08 Honolulu Central Oahu Regional Park
HI 5/16/08 Honolulu Honolulu Hate - State Capitol
HI 5/31/08 Lihue Kauai Community College
ID 5/10/08 Idaho Falls Several parks, schools, and private courts through out
the city
ID 5/11/08 Boise Julia Davis Park
ID 5/17/08 Twin Falls Twin Falls High School courts
ID 5/24/08 McCall McCall Donnellly High School Tennis Courts
ID 6/14/08 Ketchum Atkinson Park Tennis Courts
IL 5/17/08 Springfield Washington Park Tennis Center
IL 5/17/08 Pekin Parkside Athletics
IL 5/17/08 Moline Quad City Tennis Club
IL 5/18/08 McHenry Knox Park Tennis Courts
IL 6/19/08 Decatur Fairview Tennis Complex
IN 5/17/08 Munster Community Park Tennis courts
IN 5/31/08 Chersterton Sand Creek Country Club
IN 6/1/08 Indianapolis Barbara S.Wynne Tennis Center (1805 E. 86th st)
IO 6/14/08 Davenport Central High School
KN 4/19/08 Auburn Kossover Tennis Center
KS 5/3/08 Lawrence Lawrence Tennis Center
KS 5/10/08 Wichita Lynette Woodard Community Center
KY 5/2/08 Hopkinsville Ruff Park
KY 5/28/08 Mayfield Scott Thompson Tennis Center
KY 5/18/08 Corbin Corbin High School Tennis Courts
KY 5/17/08 Pikeville Bob Amos Park
KY 5/17/08 Lexington Lexington Tennis Club
KY 5/18/08 Ashland Ashland Tennis Center
KY 5/27/08 Frankfort Franklin County High School
KY 5/24/08 Louisville Jefferson County Public Park
MA 6/28/08 Marshfield Marshfield High Tennis Courts
MA 5/24/08 Springfield Tennis Courts in Forest Park
MA 5/31/08 Williamstown MCLA-Joseph Zavatarro Athletic Complex
MI 5/17/08 Detroit Peterson Park
MI 5/17/08 Spring Lake Norton Pines Athletic Club
MN 5/3/08 Grand Marais Cook County High School Tennis Courts
MN 5/10/08 Rosemount High School Tennis Courts
MN 5/17/08 Maple Grove Maple Grove Senior High School
MN 5/17/08 Fridley Moor Lake Lifetime Fitness
MN 5/17/08 Apple Valley Eastview High School
MN 5/17/08 Crookston Crookston High School Tennis Courts (8 Courts)
MN 5/17/08 St. Louis Park Aquila Park
MN 5/18/08 Shakopee Stans Park - Shakopee Jr. High
MN 5/31/08 Inver Grove Heights Simley High School Tennis Courts
MN 6/7/08 Mendota Heights Mendakota Park
MN 6/7/08 Saint James High School Tennis Courts
MN 6/12/08 Apple Valley Harding High School
MN 6/19/08 Rochester Soldier Field Tennis Courts (lighted)
MO 5/3/08 Rolla Ber Juan Tennis Complex
MO 5/3/08 Independence Mill Creek Park (1717 North River Blvd)
MO 5/24/08 Kansas City Barry Park - Park Hill High School
MT 5/4/08 Helena Civic Center Courts (back up LCTA Tennis Center)
MT 8/13/08 Anaconda Washoe Park
NC 5/3/08 Greensboro Hester Park
NC 5/17/08 Asheville Aston Park Tennis Center
ND 5/4/08 Bismarck Capital Racquet & Fitness Center
ND 5/7/08 Valley City City Park Tennis Courts
ND 5/13/08 Minot Hammond Park
ND 5/14/08 Grand Forks Register Tennis Complex or Center Court Fitness Club

ND 6/1/08 Grafton Westview or Leistikow Tennis Courts
ND 5/29/08 Jamestown Bolinger
NE 5/28/08 Omaha Gifford Park
NJ 5/3/08 Toms River Bey Lea Tennis Complex
NJ 5/4/08 Waretown Waretown Recreation Area
NJ 5/9/08 Newark Newark Bears Baseball Stadium
NJ 5/17/08 Williamstown St. Matthew’s Baptist Church
NJ 5/26/08 Toms River Ocean Tennis Center
NJ 5/31/08 Egg Harbor Township Tony Cangle Park
NJ 6/14/08 Pemberton Mirror Lake Tennis Courts
NY 5/5/08 Binghamton Binghamton Tennis Center
NY 5/10/08 New York Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
NY 5/17/08 Albany Albany Tennis Club
NY 5/17/08 Garden City Community Park Tennis Courts
NY 5/21/08 New Rochelle Albert Leonard Middle School
NY 5/24/08 Buffalo Riverside Park
OH 5/17/08 Cincinnati Triangle Tennis Courts (Reading Road & Wm.Howard Road)

OH 5/18/08 Sandusky Perkins Community Tennis Courts/Baywinds Athletic Club
OH 5/29/08 Groveport Groveport High School Tennis courts
OK 5/17/08 Edmond Kickingbird Tennis Center
OR 5/17/08 Grants Pass Gilbert Greek Parks - Grants Pass
OR 6/10/08 Hillsboro Hillsboro Tuesday Marketplace (civic center)
PA 5/3/08 Pittsburgh East Liberty Fire Station
PA 5/3/08 Lansdale Frog Hollow Racquet Club
PA 5/4/08 Philadelphia Seger Playground Tennis Courts, 10th & Lombard, Phil.

PA 5/10/08 Philadelphia Friends of Chamounix Tennis Courts (500 Chamounix Drive)

PA 5/10/08 Lancaster Lancaster Tennis & Yacht Club
PA 5/10/08 Norristown Eisenhower Middle School Tennis Courts
PA 5/11/08 Orwigsburg Pottsville JFK Tennis Courts
PA 5/17/08 Allentown Oakmont Tennis Club
PA 5/17/08 Erie Frontier Park
PA 5/17/08 Reading City Park Tennis Courts
PA 5/17/08 Landisville Hempfield Sports Complex - New Stadium Tennis Courts

PA 5/17/08 Worcester Variety Club Camp & Developmental Center
PA 5/17/08 Norristown Norristown High School
PA 5/17/08 Hanover South Western Tri-Township Park
PA 5/18/08 Jenkintown Alverthorpe Park
PA 5/24/08 Pottstown Pottstown High School Tennis Courts
PA 5/24/08 Bryn Mawr Llanerch Country Club
PA 5/28/08 Philadelphia Phila. City Courts, 47th and Spruce Streets
PA 5/31/08 Pittsburgh Frick Park Red Clay Tennis Courts
PA 6/14/08 Collegeville Perkiomen Valley High School
PA 5/?/2008 Philadelphia Philadelphia Tennis Club or Althea Gibson Center
PR 5/3/08 San Juan San Juan Mariott
PR 5/3/08 Arecibo Tennis Everyone
PR 5/3/08 Guaynabo Sagrado Corazon
PR 5/3/08 Dorado Paseos Del Mar
PR 5/4/08 Manati Acropolis de Manati
PR 5/10/08 Dorado Caminos del Mar Tennis Club
PR 5/17/08 Gurabo Urb. Veredas Tennis Club
PR 5/17/08 Trujillo Alto Centro de Tenis Honda
PR 5/17/08 Juana Diaz Complejo Municipal de Juana Diaz
PR 5/17/08 Bayamon Ocean Park Tennis Club
PR 5/17/08 Ponce Ponce Hilton
PR 5/24/08 Aibonito Aibonito Tennis Club
PR 5/24/08 Ponce Albergue Olimpico Salinas
PR 5/24/08 Beyamón Complejo Deportivo Carcaño Alicea
PR 5/31/08 Aibonito Complejo Deportivo de Barranquitas
PR 5/31/08 Beyamón Rio Ondo / Valle Verde Tennis Club
PR 5/31/08 Ponce Club Deportivo de Ponce
S.C 5/ ? / 2008 N.Myrtle Beach Central Park
SC 5/17/08 Florence Timrod Park
SD 5/10/08 Sioux Falls McKennan Park
TN 5/1/08 Crossville Fairfield Glade Community Club
TN 5/3/08 Talbott Frank Lorino Park
TN 5/3/08 Chattanooga Hamilton Family YMCA Tennis Center
TN 5/3/08 Lebanon Mt. Juliet/Charlie Daniel’s Park
TN 5/10/08 Knoxville Tyson Family Tennis Center / Tyson Park
TN 5/13/08 Kingsport Liberty Bell Tennis Courts
TN 5/17/08 Franklin Centennial High School
TN 5/17/08 Clarksville Swan Lake Tennis Complex
TN 5/23/08 Nashville Nashboro Village Athletic Club
TN 5/24/08 Chattanooga Warner Park Tennis Courts
TX 4/12/08 Denton Warranch Tennis Center
TX 5/3/08 Houston Lee LeClear o r Memorial Park
TX 5/4/08 Keller Keller High School courts on Johnson Avenue
TX 5/5/08 Granbury Pecan Plantation CC
TX 5/8/08 Midland Midland High School Tennis Courts
TX 5/15/08 Pecos Pecos High School Tennis Courts
TX 5/17/08 Midlothian Midlothian Sports Complex
TX 5/17/08 Shallowater Shallowater High School
TX 5/18/08 Midland Perimian High School
TX 5/18/08 Weatherford Soldier Spring Tennis Center
TX 5/19/08 Lubbock Lakeridge Country Club
TX 5/31/08 Borger Borger High School Tennis Courts
TX 7/3/08 Midlothian Midlothian Sports Complex
TX 8/9/08 Arlington Arlington Tennis Center
UT 5/2/08 North Salt Lake Eagleridge Tennis Club
UT 5/10/08 Roy Roy High School Tennis Courts
UT 5/10/2008 West Valley Cenntenial Park
UT 5/17/2008 Ogden Mt. Ogden Park
UT 5/31/08 Clearfield Weber State University
VT 5/17/08 Jeffersonville Johnson State College/Windridge Sports Center
WI 4/25/08 Washburn Public Courts
WI 5/17/08 Brookfield Heyer Park
WI 5/17/08 Sussex Sussex Hamilton High School
WI 5/17/08 Neenah Southview Park, 200 W. Bell Street
WI 5/18/08 West Bend West Bend High Schools
WI 5/18/08 Eau Claire Altoona, WI 10th Street Courts
WI 5/18/08 Menomonie Menomonie High School Tennis Courts
WI 5/18/08 Oshkosh Oshkosh YMCA Tennis Center
WI 5/27/08 Watertown Brandt Park
WI 6/7/08 Oconomowoc Fowler Park
WV 5/17/08 Wheeling Oglebay Park

According to a press release on ATPTennis.com, fifteen-year-old Texan Ryan Harrison became the third youngest player (since 1990) to notch an ATP match win when he defeated Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-4, 6-3 on Monday at the US Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston, Texas.

Harrison is one of four men's singles who gained entry to the main draws via the qualifying round.

Next up, the teen could face James Blake or Kei Nishikori, who are scheduled to play later today.

With the upcoming 82nd Annual National Public Parks Tennis Championship, Inside Tennis spoke with USTA Texas Regional Executive Director Ken McAllister on the importance of tennis in public parks, the growth of the game and what it means be a part of this 82-year-old grass roots tradition in tennis.

Can you give me a little back story on the history of tennis in public parks? The first National Public Park Tennis Championships were held in St. Louis in 1923 at what is now the Dwight Davis Tennis Center, named after the founder of the Davis Cup and President of the USNLTA, who was from St. Louis. It was sponsored by the USTA, then called the United States National Lawn Tennis Association. It was men only until 1930, when a women's draw was introduced. For many years, the winners of those draws were automatically invited to play in the US Nationals until it became the US Open in 1968. In 1948, when the NPPTC was hosted in Los Angeles, junior draws were introduced. The first African American to win was in that same year and was the well-known Oscar Johnson, later recognized by the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Age division events were added in 1959. Up until sometime in the 1990's, players qualified to play in the national event by winning their local events played at public parks. We are currently being assisted by Active.com to revive that tradition while keeping the event open to all who wish to play.

How does it feel to be part of such an historic event as the Public Parks National Championship? As a player who grew up playing only on public courts, it presents a good feeling of being part of a larger and historic picture of tennis for the average Joe. Of course, the truth that many of the greatest players - Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, etc. - also grew up on public courts adds to the credibility.

Can you capture in words the experience of being at the Championship? What is the atmosphere like? The atmosphere is more down home than dramatic. Although there are many nationally ranked players entered, all of us are in a public park setting, and it is frankly very relaxing.

What role do public parks play for young tennis players looking to learn the sport? Although affordability and open access are two obvious pluses for youngsters learning at public centers, the mix of skill levels, backgrounds, and athletes allow for an atmosphere of growth. The key here is whether the parks will hire professionals to bring in the programming and teachers such as our last venue, the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Fort Lauderdale, does. When that happens, the opportunity is greater than it is in the private sector.

What do public parks represent to the growth of tennis? The mere statistical fact that 80% of all tennis is played on public facilities points to the obvious decisions that all of us in the industry should focus efforts where the players are. Although our mindset is that this is the bastion of recreational tennis, we can't forget that this is where the great Australian players of the 50's and 60's were discovered. This is where the athletes, currently being skimmed away by soccer, baseball, or football, can also have a shot at trying tennis. I predict that Quick Start Tennis will find its home in public parks and school courts.

What kind of diversity among players does the Championship feature? This may be the greatest feature of the NPPTC. This is where the great players and contributors from the American Tennis Association (the black national tennis organization) came from. I suspect that the NPPTC has the greatest racial diversity of all national tournaments. This is not because other events are closed, but it is because of the very nature that folks using the public venues better reflect the color of America. We have also advocated for offering wheelchair tennis events when possible as these events are most often offered at public tennis facilities.

The number of unique entries into the event is growing. Care to guesstimate the reason for this? #1 - tennis itself is on a general surge throughout the country. We are the fastest growing traditional sport in the US over the past 5 years. Secondly, our Board has been working more closely with Tennis in the Parks, the USTA, and the Sections to get the publicity out over the past few years. Thirdly, it did not hurt to have the National Tennis Center host the event in 2006, which spotlighted the NPPTC to many who had not heard of it.

LONDON (AP) - All professional tennis tournaments using an electronic replay system will offer players the same amount of challenges per match starting next week.

Each player will get a maximum of three unsuccessful challenges per set, plus one wrong challenge in a tiebreaker, the International Tennis Federation said Wednesday in a joint statement with the ATP, WTA Tour and Grand Slam committee.

Players can still make an unlimited number of correct challenges.

Previously, the men's and women's pro tours offered only two unsuccessful challenges per set plus one in the tiebreaker. The ITF's team competitions, including the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup, offered unlimited challenges.

The unified system will start next week at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.

For matches that don't use tiebreakers, players will get an addition three challenges for every 12 games played.

"The players will know where they stand," ITF spokesman Nick Imison said. "There hadn't been an agreement up until this point."

The U.S. Open previously allowed only two unsuccessful challenges per set, while Wimbledon and the Australian Open allowed three. The French Open, played on clay, doesn't need replay technology because balls leave a mark on the surface.

"With an additional challenge per set, we look forward to the Chase Review being used more frequently at this year's U.S. Open," tournament director Jim Curley said in a statement.

Each individual tournament will still be able to decide whether it wants to use the technology, and most will only have one or two courts wired for the replays. But it will ensure that all major matches are using the same rules.

"This is another example of the effort of all governing constituencies in the sport to find a balanced, unified approach to issues of common interest," the ITF said.