WHAT: The Topspin Blog offers readers news, essays and commentary about American men’s professional tennis, including detailed coverage of the U.S. Davis Cup matches, the U.S. Open, as well as other tennis features.

WHY:  Because American men’s tennis, particularly Davis Cup, is marginally covered by mainstream media and in the blogosphere.

WHEN: This blog will be updated regularly as tennis news merits. New posts will be added frequently during Grand Slams and Davis Cup matches.

WHO: My name is Joe Samuel Starnes, although I go by Sam to friends and family. I am a novelist and journalist originally from Georgia, now living in Philadelphia.

The Topspin Blog grew out of an earlier blog at daviscupfinal2007.blogspot.com that I wrote in December when the U.S. beat Russia to win its first Davis Cup in twelve years.

If interested, you can check out my author web site at www.joesamuelstarnes.com or for links to my varied journalism work, including articles in The New York Times and The Washington Post, at joesamuelstarnes.blogspot.com.  I wrote an essay for Tennis magazine’s August 2008 issue about a search for Bill Tilden’s grave.

I have been playing tennis since I was four-years-old. I peaked 26 years ago when I was 15 playing junior tennis in Georgia. I now play on a 4.5 team in a USTA league for Green Valley Tennis Club in Haddon Township, N.J.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Read the April 11 press release announcement.

Thanks to Chuck Gooch at Jackson Trail Media for designing and setting up this site.

Thank you for reading. Please feel free to e-mail through the contact page, or to comment on various postings. I welcome your feedback.

Joe Samuel Starnes