Today is Friday and with the 3rd day is complete I’m 1-1, and I’m out of the finals since Wayne has won all of his matches, but if I can beat Todd [Martin], then there is an off chance that I can still make it to the 3rd Place Match.

Outside of my competitive nature, the tournament and the experience here in Grand Cayman is fantastic. The Ritz is a fantastic hotel and the whole atmosphere is like a holiday retreat. It’s a semi-holiday for me – of course, it is work because you want to play well and entertain the crowds - but when you wake up it’s nice weather and there are people lying by the pool – what’s not to like?

Since I’ve never been here before, I plan to discover the island. I’ll let you know my new favorites spots.

It’s been a wonderful experience – wish me luck.

Paul

Get more information about the Outback Champions Series at www.championsseriestennis.com.

Hey from the Cayman Islands! It's really tough being here. Sorry you all can’t be here to suffer with me. Of course, I'm kidding, because - wow - what a great place. I got here a few days ago and have been enjoying the nice weather. Unfortunately it has been a bit windy which has been the only drawback.

So far the tennis has been going very well for me too. I have managed to work my game through the wind and have been playing good tennis. I had a tough match yesterday against Paul Haarhuis that I was very happy to win, since he has been in good form the past year and winning most of the events he has played. Today, I played and beat Todd Martin which is also a great victory for me as I have lost to him the last two times I have played against him. I play against Michael Pernfors tomorrow which will be fun as he and I play very similar tennis and always have very enjoyable and entertaining matches. I am trying, in between the matches, to do some of the nice activities that they offer here on Grand Cayman. I would be very disappointed if I didn’t get to snorkel or see the Stingray City. Everyone says it's great.

So, got to go. So many things to do. Next time I will let you all know before hand when I am coming down here and you can all come and enjoy the island fever with me. Until next time never give up you will always be surprised what you can win.

Wayne

Get more information about the Outback Champions Series at www.championsseriestennis.com.

Hi Outback Champions Series Fans,

Naples was a big event for me. I was very happy to have my first win on the Outback Champions Series and I hope it is one of many more. I have been practicing a lot and it was nice to see that the practice has paid off. However. my body has been aching and I did take some time off after Naples. Today I practiced and felt good on the court. I want to continue my progress at the next event in Grand Cayman -- My group is very tough : Courier, McEnroe, Wilander. I think I can beat Wilander this time and I'm ready for the challenge with the group.

In Naples, my match against Pernfors was the high point for me as a player. We had a very long Champions tie-breaker. I have played many of these on the Outback Champions Series - but this was the first time I came out victorious. On one hand, I like the format as it is easier on the body than playing an entire set, but on the other hand the match can turn so quickly -- just a matter of points. So focus and concentration is key in the Champions Tie Breaks. The win against Mikael is a good confidence booster for me and I will feel better going into another Champions Tie Break on the Outback Champions Series. I am ready to keep winning!

One of the highlights for me in Naples was unquestionably hitting with my son Spencer on center court in front of the crowds. In many ways he reminds me of myself when I was his age, only I was a lot cockier! Spencer was very nervous, I saw his arms trembling beforehand, but once he hit a few balls he was fine. Me on the other hand, I remember going into a match against Bobby Riggs (just after his notorious Billie Jean King match) and feeling so confident that I could beat him. I felt the same going against Rod Laver. I was a very confident player as a junior I felt unstoppable -- perhaps it was because I had a lot of tournament experience which Spencer has not yet had. I hope to encourage him to play more tournaments.

The Outback Champions Club is always one of the most memorable parts of the Outback Champions Series events. The OCC is the private VIP area where the players can eat the latest and greatest Outback meals while mingling with the guests which are mostly sponsors. Talking to the sponsors in the OCC is always interesting for the players - - its funny because the #1 subject is ourselves!! Having played many OCS events, there are many familiar faces and, like the Outback Steakhouse executives for examples, have become friends. I look forward to seeing all my friends again at the next event.

Catch you later....

Jimmy Arias

Get more information about the Outback Champions Series at www.championsseriestennis.com.

Greetings and Happy New Year to all of you. 2008 promises to be lots of fun on the OCS. Right now, however, I am basking in the ability to spend time with my family, work on some business ideas, and relax a bit.

Of course, with Naples just around the corner in March I will be starting my training soon. I have some holiday pudge to work off, not to mention getting my tennis game back in working order. 2007 was a better year on the court than I would have expected, and I hope to build on it and be successful again at the tournaments I play.

As I mentioned, Naples is first in line this year. I was supposed to play there in ’07, but sprained my ankle just a couple weeks before the tourney and had to pull out. In November, I went down Naples to help out with SwingTime, a Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation event, and got horribly ill on my way. My hope is to make it to and through Naples unscathed this time. The tournament is at a beautiful club and I am trying to steal my family away with me to share the experience. It should be fun.

I have to run. I hope you are getting ready for an exciting OCS. See you along the way.

Todd Martin

Get more information about the Outback Champions Series at www.championsseriestennis.com.

It's been a hectic first week of action in Melbourne. Matches have ended at 2am and 4:30am on consecutive nights and the drama has been on overdrive.

Headlines...well they've been on the men's side primarily. Federer pushed to the brink of losing in the 3rd round (and with a loss he would probably have lost his #1 ranking to Nadal), Roddick out in a barn burner, James Blake back from the dead to win in 5 sets, Hewitt choking and then charging back to win the latest finish in Slam history. The 2nd week is when the drama will kick in on the women's side as they have largely been holding up the status quo end of the proceedings.

I got to the hotel last night at 5am simultaneously wired and fried from calling both Fed and Hewitt's epic matches. 10 sets of tennis. My brain frazzled from 9 hours of TV focus (trying not to be repetitive is taxing) but certainly not as whipped as the boys who were in the battle. Had to be back on site for the Tsonga-Gasquet match around 12:15pm so it was a quick turn. Thankfully today was a quick one. Tsonga won pretty handily and I had a nice 4 hour gap before the Nadal-Mathieu match up. Managed to hit indoors for an hour (jetlag now replaced by 5 set lag and the young American challengers have left to play a challenger in Hawaii so I hit with Marty Laurendeau, the coach of Dancevic/Nestor from Canada who was on the atp tour when I was) and get showered up in time to get on air at 7:30 for the opening of our night show in the studio then wait for the ladies to finish before the boys go on and I go into the bunker (our TV booth) to call the match. Mathieu defaulted after a set and 1/2 so we were on the opposite end of the time spectrum from earlier this am and finished at 10:30 which was 1 hour earlier than Hewitt-Bagdhatis started last night. I like it...

Lots of friendly faces down here from Fred Stolle to all of the Tennis Channel crew and everyone in between. The tennis world is a traveling circus and its pulled into Melbourne for its annual stop. 1 more week before it pulls up stakes. Let it be half as intriguing as week 1 and we'll have had a helluva tournament. Then its back to the States for me. OCS tennis is around the corner.

Jim

Get more information about the Outback Champions Series at www.championsseriestennis.com.