Looks like Serena got her revenge for that Wimbledon match. The two sisters battled in a quarterfinal match last at the U.S. Open in New York with Serena winning 7-6, 7-6 in a tense two-hour 25 minute match. Venus had her chance though, scoring a total of 10 set points which could have forced a third set, but she couldn't hang on to win a set.

"At 5-3, 40-love [in the second set], I thought, 'Wow, these should be match points -- and they weren't,'" Venus told ESPN. "I felt like I was always in control. I'm a very good closer. I've never had a match like that in my life. I guess there's always a first."
"She made a couple of errors," Serena added, "and it was really luck for me, because she never makes those errors."

Back in the day, not too many athletes really shared their political views, thinking it would hurt sales of shoes or they would lose some of their fanbase. Nowadays, athletes aren't afraid to share their thoughts on the issues of today, ranging from the crisis in Darfur to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, they'll let it be known. They're even endorsing presidential candidates. LeBron threw money behind Barack Obama's campaign and now Baron Davis is announcing he has Barack's back as well.

"Hope ya'll watched Barack Obama's acceptance speech Thursday night. If he didn't move you maybe the sound was turned down. When it was over I felt like I was ready to go out to Venice Beach and start registering people to vote right then at 9pm. We've got to show up on Nov. 4th to vote this man into the White House!" Davis wrote on his blog. "His ideas about recharging our education system by investing in early education and raising teacher's salaries were seriously inspiring. I know he said he's gonna raise the taxes on the top income bracket, Gil (responding to a recent Gilbert Arenas post), but if he uses that money to improve our schools then you won't have to worry about some kids trying to sell pictures of your pool online cause they couldn't get a better job. But seriously, he made his case calm and cool and now it's up to us to listen and to act. He's not going to be able to do it on his own. We have to get out and vote on November 4th."

Now we really know what Tiger Woods is doing with his time off. If he isn't walking on water or handling business in Dubai, he's at home getting cozy with his wife Elin. The two announced that they are expecting their second child later this year.

"This has been a year of contrasts," Tiger said on his website. "I had a solid start to the season, won the U.S. Open in an exciting playoff, and then unfortunately had to shut it down after successful knee surgery. And now, I have some wonderful news to report. Sam is going to be a big sister. Elin and I are proud to announce that we are expecting our second child in late winter."

While a lot of NBA players are taking it easy before training camp starts next month, Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudemire is heading to Africa. The 6'10" baller is in Sierria Leone on behalf of his foundation, Each 1, Teach 1, and the Zee Community Development Foundation (ZCD) to build water wells. He will visit water well sites in Gao Village and Makereh and meet with the Minister of Sports, the Vice President, and President of Sierra Leone.

"This is a trip that I've been looking forward to taking my whole life," Stoudemire said in a statement. "We've already begun to help the communities in Sierra Leone, and it will be great to see the efforts in person. One water well built can provide water for 450 people, so as you can see, the impact will be really great."

Looks like Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson will be able to use that "Ocho Cinco" jersey after all. Late last week, Johnson legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco in Broward County, Florida. Will his jersey now be the hottest selling jersey at NFL shops this season?

"It's something I don't think anyone has ever done before," he told the team's Web site. "Have I ever had a reason for why I do what I do? I'm having fun."

Lisa Leslie wasn't the only basketball player to play in their last Olympics. This week, Jason Kidd also announced that this was the last time he would play. Kidd earned his second gold medal last week and extended his record to 56-0 in Olympics, Olympic qualifying and exhibition games.

"I'm undefeated," Kidd told the Dallas Morning News. "I told them I can retire now from international ball, but LeBron [James] threw out something I didn't like. He said he won't play in 2012 unless I'm there."

For the last several years we've enjoyed watching Donovan McNabb and his mother, and other athletes' mothers, on the Campbell's Soup commercials. But now the momma's are being axed. According to a story from the Wall Street Journal, Campbell's Soup is changing it's campaign direction which doesn't include the mothers.

"LaDainian Tomlinson doesn't need his mom to tell him which products have protein and which products don't," Douglas Brand, brand manager for Chunky Soup, told the Wall Street Journal. "He's learned that for himself, and we've learned our consumers want to do that for themselves as well."

Because of injuries, Tiger Woods said he won't be playing any golf until 2009. In the meantime, it looks like he'll be promoting his new video game, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09, which hits stores this week (Watch Tiger walk on water here), and working on his golf project in Dubai.

Woods and his partners, Tatweer, announced this week that the Tiger Woods Dubai project will consist of a Tiger Woods-designed 13 million sq feet golf course, Al Ruwaya, which will offer only 200 memberships with residents of the community being given first dibs. Al Ruwaya will also include a professionally-staffed golf academy, a 139,000 sq. feet clubhouse with premium amenities and a high-end destination spa.

"I am proud of my partnership with Tatweer, which has excelled in developing The Tiger Woods Dubai project and bringing it to this advanced stage," Woods said in a statement. "With its remarkable commitment, Tatweer has demonstrated its capability to implement the project according to the scheduled timeframe. The master plan reflects the phenomenal dimension this project has taken since it was first conceived, and will serve to enhance its overall stature as one of the world's most ambitious developments. The design of Al Ruwaya will reflect what I truly love about golf and I hope, will prove to be a challenging and strategic course for players of all levels."

It's been a rough experience for the USA Boxing team in China. There were many hopefuls in all the weight classes but the team only walked away with a bronze medal, making it the worst USA Boxing team in history. In the past, boxers like Cassius Clay, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya, Pernell Whitaker, Evander Holyfield, Michael Spinks, and Mark Breland were born at the Olympics, but that seems to be a thing of the past.

Heavyweight boxer, Deontay Wilder, lost 7-1 in his match against Italian champ Clemente Russo, but was still awarded the bronze medal for making it to the semi-final. Wilder was the only USA boxer to make it to any fight worth a medal.

It's been a long eight years since the USA Men's Basketball team has been the best in the world, but in 2008 USA basketball is back on top. Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James led the USA Men's Basketball team in a win over Spain, 118-107, capturing the gold medal. It was a hard fought game by the surprisingly talented and die-hard Spanish team who made the match run until at least the final two minutes of the game.

"What you saw today was a team bonding together, facing adversity and coming out with a huge win," Bryant said at the press conference.

"If it wasn't for the determination and willpower we had, we wouldn't be back on top of the world, which is where we are," James added.

"We were at America's lowest point," said Anthony, one of four 2008 players who were on the disappointing 2004 team. "To be sitting here tonight, on top of the world, we did a heck of a job of putting American basketball back where it's supposed to be. I'm just so proud right now."

After last season former Oakland Raider and Tampa Bay Buc, Warren Sapp, announced his retirement from the NFL. He took a small break after the season and began appearing on the NFL Network talking about the Brett Favre debacle. Apparently the folks at Showtime liked what the saw because now Sapp is joining Chris Collinsworth, James Brown, and Phil Simms as part of the Inside the NFL crew.

"This is a dream job," Sapp said in a statement. "It's the job I've always talked about wanting after my playing career. Inside the NFL has been a staple of television for a long time. The show digs deeper into the games and the issues surrounding the league more than any other football show out there. I think this new approach will be fresh. For my part, I just came off the field and I've got 13 years of experience in the trenches to bring to the table."

Ever since the track events started over the weekend, it's all been about the Jamaicans and some dude named Bolt. But there were a few Americans that brought home some medals for the track team this week. Angelo Taylor captured the gold medal in the Men's 400m Hurdle, with team mates Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson getting the silver and bronze medals making the U.S. sweep the event.

"We wanted to uplift the track team," Taylor told the Associated Press, "and bring home the sweep."

Taylor previously won the gold medal in the event in the Sydney 2000 Olympic games.It was a redeeming win for Taylor since he was forced to sit out the 2004 games due to injuries and a conviction of contributing to the delinquency of two underage girls.

EliteXC MMA fighter Kimbo Slice's popularity continues to grow. He recently hooked up with San Diego Chargers running back Ladanian Tomlinson to do a "viral" sort of commercial for Nike. The scene takes place supposedly at Kimbo's house in his backyard where folks are having a barbecue and LT starts working out by lifting air conditioners and punching refrigerators.

But it doesn't stop at the commercial. Slice also recently signed to be in the TV movie Drake and Josh: Best Christmas Ever. Yes, it's a kids' movie that will be shown on Nickelodeon this holiday season. Who knew Slice was appropriate for children? Slice will play Bludge, a menacing con who befriends Drake and Josh. Slice was also being considered for a role in the upcoming 3D MMA flick, Kung-Fu U, which stars Holk Hogan, but the deal didn't go through.

As far as fighting, Slice's next match is next month versus Brett Rogers. For now check out the Nike commercial after the jump:

The United States Men's Saber Team hasn't won a medal since 1948. That changed over the weekend. Keeth Smart, a fencing master out of Brooklyn, New York, helped the U.S. team win the silver medal after losing to France. Earlier in the weekend, his sister Erinn Smart helped win the silver in the Women's Team Foil, the first ever for the women's team and first foil medal for the U.S. since 1960. These were medals that the U.S. teams were not expected to win, but the siblings' perseverance shined through.

"This year has been one of the hardest years of my life as well as one of the greatest years of my life," Keeth told Reuters after winning the silver medal. "I've been on a rollercoaster. I'll probably take a deep breath and it will all hit me. I'm still on an emotional high."

Even though both Venus and Serena Williams were ousted of their singles quest for a medal, together they're still unstoppable. Over the weekend the sisters faced Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain and destroyed them handily 6-2, 6-0.

"I'm so excited, I can't even speak," Venus told the Associated Press. "To share this kind of moment with your sister, it never grows old."