MIKE SAIA Tennis legend Stan Smith led an hour-long tennis clinic for participants on Althea Gibson Club Court from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3.

MIKE SAIA The College of Charleston Cougar Club’s second annual Coburg Dairy Cremins Tennis Challenge was held on May 2 & 3, at the Family Circle Tennis Center to raise funds for the Cougar Club Athletics Scholarship fund. Pictured (L-R): Greg Harkins, FCTC pro; Rob Eppelsheimer, FCTC director; Monica Pawlowski, Cougar Club executive director; Stan Smith, tennis legend and special guest; Davin Wise, Cougar Club director of events; Bobby Cremins, C of C basketball coach, Carolyn Cremins.

DOUG PINKERTON Serena Williams celebrates her first Family Circle Cup title moments after defeating Vera Zvonareva Sunday afternoon , 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. For additional photos, see page 32.

The next time you hear people grouse about overpaid professional athletes, spare a thought for Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

The presence of these two superstars paid dividends for organizers of the 35^th Annual Family Circle Cup that concluded Sunday with Williams’ three-set victory over surprise finalist Vera Zvonereva.

Stadium seats were virtually filled every time Williams and Sharapova stepped on court. And the presence of past tennis royalty such as Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and other champions for Saturday’s anniversary commemoration added even more luster and crowd appeal.

Jankovic

How do you get to be one of the top women tennis players in the world?

Surely, raw talent mixed with a healthy dose of grit and determination has a lot to do with it. But if you ask Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic, and Marion Bartoli – champions in hot pursuit of this week’s Family Circle Cup (FCC) title on Daniel Island– there is one ingredient that stands out above the rest. Quite simply, they’re in it to win it.

Henin won in 2005.

After Justine Henin totally dominated the 2007 tennis season, the 2008 tour is off to a very even-handed start. To date, 12 different players have won championships in the 17 tournaments played. Henin, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport and the little known Flavia Pennetta (ITP Tour) are the only players to have won two events this year. Perhaps the most impressive-looking player this season is Serena Williams, who seems to be in her best physical condition since 1982. 1982? Yes, Serena was only 1 at the time she jokingly said at the Sony Ericson Open last week, noting that this is the best shape she has been in since she was a toddler, which she credits as the result of increased conditioning.

Here’s a look at the top five contenders entered in this year’s FCC with a prediction as to who will take home the 35th Anniversary Family Circle Cup.

 

Rosie Casals was the winner of the first Family Circle Cup 35 years ago.

Rosemary, a.k.a. "Rosebud," "Rosie" Casals still counts among the highlights of her career that first Family Circle Cup championship back in 1973.

It was a brand new competition, mounted by Jack Jones and John Moreno and sponsored by Family Circle magazine, whose owners decided to make a bold statement of commitment to women’s issues by becoming the first women’s magazine to fully underwrite a professional women’s tournament. It would be the first to offer $100,000 in total prizes and the first to be broadcast on a national television network, NBC. The winner would take home a check for $30,000, the largest prize ever awarded to a woman at that time.