| Deluxe singles travel
The same old images still adorn the walls and windows of your local travel office: Smiling nuclear families discovering Disney World and well-tanned, hand-clasped couples honeymooning on the white sand shores of a Caribbean paradise. While families still go to Disney World and couples still honeymoon in the Bahamas, these images are increasingly anachronistic representations of the typical American traveler. Millions of people today travel with neither families nor mates, but alone—as unattached singles. In the last decade, the number of single travelers has exploded to reach more than a quarter of the entire industry—a percentage that continues to rise along with divorce rates and the average marrying age. According to Connected: Solo Traveler's Network, a leading online singles travel community, one-third of the adult population is single and travels that way.
Third seed Peer ousted in Memphis tennis
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- Teenager Olga Govortsova of Belarus toppled third-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 3-6 and 6-4 at the Memphis Championship on Friday to reach her first WTA final. The 19-year-old fifth seed beat four double faults through the tight semifinal which lasted for almost two hours. "It feels great, getting into my first final," Govortsova said," I am playing really well now and in the third set I wanted to win so badly." Peer, a winner of three WTA singles titles and ranked 18th, said that "it was a good match and it could have gone either way. I had some chances in the first set and I didn't make them." Govortsova, who clinched two ITF crowns last year in her first full season on the WTA Tour, will meet the winner between American Lindsay Davenport and New Zealand qualifier Marina Erakovic in the final.
Radwanska topples Craybas for Pattaya crown
Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland captured the Pattaya Women's Open with a three-set triumph over American Jill Craybas in Sunday's final. The top-seeded Radwanska notched a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) victory Sunday for her second career WTA singles crown. She posted her inaugural win last year in Stockholm and has opened 2008 in solid fashion, having reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open last month.
Craybas, seeded seventh this week, was trying for her second career WTA singles crown and first since 2002.
The 33-year-old Craybas appeared to be on the ropes in the third set, facing a 5-1 deficit, but she fought off a pair of match points and won five games in a row. She then gained her own match point in the 12th game, but missed on a backhand and Radwanska held serve.
Black Singles Meet Online Over Greens and Cornbread
GreensandCornbread.com is a premiere online dating site for African Americans. Carlton Enoch the sties creator has found a creative way to target the growing market of minority singles looking for love online. African Americans are very passionate about soul food. Soul food represents a down home quality and triggers warm and loving memories. .
Blake breezes past fellow American Warburg at San Jose ATP
A wild card, Levine posted a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Steve Darcis of Belgium on Monday.
Blake is trying to erase memories of Sunday's shocking loss to Japanese teen Kei Nishikori in the final of the Delray Beach tournament.
Nishikori, who became the first Japanese player since 1992 to win an ATP singles title, also is in the field here on a sponsor's exemption. He won't see Blake unless the players reach the final.
But he could get a chance to pull off his second giant-killing episode in as many weeks if he gets past Diego Hartfield in the first round.
His second round opponent would likely be top seeded American Andy Roddick, who begins opening round play on Wednesday.
Picked off by Nishikori in the Delray Beach semi-finals, American Sam Querrey lost again Tuesday to German qualifier Denis Gremelmayr 5-7, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.
Mandisa moves from 'American Idol' to gospel glory
Mandisa has successfully made the transformation from a popular Top 10 contestant on season five of American Idol to a Grammy-nominated Christian singer. She became the first new female artist to debut atop the Christian album charts, and her single "Only the World" was a multi-week No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart. She's also written a book, Idoleyes: My New Perspective on Faith, Fat & Fame, and become a spokesmodel for Ashley Stewart stores. .
Azinger alters first two days of Ryder Cup format
Paul Azinger has already introduced sweeping changes to the U.S. Ryder Cup team selection process. Now he has altered the format of the tournament. The U.S. captain announced Wednesday that the order of the team matches on the first and second days of the competition will be reversed, meaning there will be four foursomes (alternate shot) matches followed by four four-ball (best ball) matches. As usual, the Ryder Cup will conclude with 12 singles matches on Sunday. In each of the past two Ryder Cups -- routs for the European team -- the four-ball format was used in the morning each day. "I believe it was 1997, I think Seve (Ballesteros) changed it to best ball in the morning and alternate shot in the afternoon. I felt like the Americans had an edge in alternate shot and I think it's partly responsible for why Europe has gotten off to a pretty hot start," Azinger said at a news conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he is competing in this week's FBR Open.
SHeDAISY's Hits CD Due Feb. 5
SHeDAISY will release The Best of SHeDAISY on Feb. 5 on Lyric Street Records. The 12-song compilation includes all previously-released material, spanning from their 1999 debut single, "Little Good-Byes," to a song inspired by Desperate Housewives, "God Bless the American Housewife." The trio of sisters has released six albums for the label so far, including a remixed version of their debut album and a holiday album. Four of their singles reached the Top 10 on Billboard's country chart. .
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