Jamie Baker: ITF Player of the Month

Jamie Baker won two tournaments in February. For that, he was named the ITF featured player for the month of February.

Baker won the Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament and the Valley Baptist Health System Harlingen Country Club $15,000 Futures tennis tournament. Both tournaments were held in Texas near the Mexican border and Baker is playing in a third south Texas tournament, Marquez and Marquez Men's Futures of McAllen.

Resources:

Jamie Baker Honored by International Tennis Federation (ITF)

Local Newspaper Coverage of McAllen Tournament

McAllen Schedule and Results

Jamie Baker's Hero: Tiger Woods

Jamie Baker -- the number one player in the Valley Baptist Health System Harlingen Country Club $15,000 Futures tennis tournament -- gains inspiration from golf great Tiger Woods.

'To dominate such an open, individual sport for so long takes unbelievable belief, determination, single-mindedness and hard work, all of which you need to succeed in tennis,' Jamie said about Woods in the UK Times.

Jamie Baker won the Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament Sunday in Brownsville, Texas.

Resources:

An Intimate Look At Jamie Baker From A United Kingdom Perspective

Jamie Baker's Tournament Results including matches against David Nalbandian and Donald Young; and Davis Cup, Wimbledon, Australian Open and U.S. Open results.

Rivalry Between Jamie Baker and A Childhood Friend

Jamie Baker's Namesake Apparently Jamie Baker is a common name; this guy wants you to know he is not that Jamie Baker.

Jamie Baker Spars With Roger Federer

Jamie Baker, the champion of the Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament, had a rendezvous with one of the world's great tennis players, Roger Federer.

Roger Federer -- for all his fame -- has a rather secretive training regimen. He lives and trains in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East.

During his training he flies in numerous players, sort of like a boxer bringing in sparring partners. Jamie Baker was lucky enough to be a sparring partner.

Jamie Baker has moved on to play in the Valley Baptist Health System Harlingen Country Club $15,000 Futures in Harlingen, TX.

Resources:

Valley Baptist Health System Harlingen Country Club Schedule and Results

Futures Tennis

Kevin Anderson Left his Heart in Illinois

Kevin Anderson -- who made it to the finals of the Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament -- left his heart in Champaign, Illinois. Kevin Anderson and his teammates at the University of Illinois had had an incredible run. Anderson's own tennis career -- playing in professional tournaments as well as college -- had also taken off. Kevin had a decision to make.

Kevin made the heart-rending decision of leaving his teammates and pursuing his dream of a professional career. 'Hands down this had been the toughest decision I have ever had to make,' Kevin said. 'In the end I had to take the team aspect out of the equation. If I had factored in the guys and the coaches, it would never have been a question of if I was leaving. But at the end of the day, I had to just think about the tennis and what was best for my career. My tennis career is what I have been working towards and I felt like this was the best decision for me at this time in my life.'

Kevin is on his way. He is through to the final in the Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament.

Resources:

Brownsville Tournament Results

Kevin Anderson Turns Pro. Kevin Anderson's quotes in above story were first published in this story.

Brownsville Local TV Player Interviews

Top Seed Anderson Defeats Krajicek

Kevin Anderson, the number one seed in the Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament defeated Austin Krajicek, 6-4, 6-4, in Brownsville, Texas.

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Tournament Results

All Eyes on Texas

The news media is descending on Texas. Politics is in the air. But tennis fans are less excited about politics and are more interested in the three pro tennis tournaments coming to Texas.

The Brownsville Men's USTA Professional Tennis Tournament started Monday, February 18 in Brownsville, Texas. The tournament is part of the United States Tennis Association futures series for lower-ranked professional players and up and coming juniors.

After the tournament ends Sunday, February 24, the series moves to Harlingen, Texas, February 25, and McAllen, Texas, March 3.

Resources:

Men's 2008 Pro Circuit Calendar

Brownesville Men's Singles Results