There's no better stage than the U.S. Open for me

Do not feel sorry for me if I am gone.

I strongly believe the black culture spends too much time, energy and effort raising, praising, and teasing our black children about the dubious glories of professional sports.

When we were together, I loved you deeply and you gave me so much happiness I can never repay you.

Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis.

There is a terrific apprehension among some people that blacks will take over the sport... It will create problems because their behavior, speech and dress is just a completely different culture.

I take the good with the bad, and I try to face them both with as much calm and dignity as I can muster.