I finally got my certification from the USPTA yesterday: I'm an official tennis teaching professional now. I was ranked as a Professional-2, but if I retake the exam I only have to re-do the group and private lessons, which are notoriously difficult to get a Professional-1 score on. Now I have to decide whether I should stick with the racquets and clothes that I've been wearing or "sell out" and sign a contract to use only HEAD racquest and wear LOTTO clothing while I teach, in return for getting all that stuff for free. It's a tough one, since I have to send my contract in by Saturday and I've never played with a HEAD racquet in my life, though I do have a demo racquet on the way (should be here any minute now).

In other news, I'm ready for Round 2, Drew. Let's rumble.

P.S. Marat Safin is back. He's now taken out 5 (!!) Americans in the Aussie Open: Vahaly, Martin, Blake, Roddick, Agassi. Whoa.