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|  Wys³any: 2019-09-27 04:29:54 Temat postu: became the fourth NHL team to lose a best-of-seven s
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Top-seeded Serena Williams faced some early struggles before defeating Russias Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 ( , 6-0 in the second round of the Dubai Championships on Tuesday. Williams, playing in Dubai courtesy of a wild card, has been sidelined with a back injury since losing to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round of the Australian Open last month. It took Williams the first set to adjust to the left-handed Makarovas ability to jam many of her shots into the top-ranked Americans body. "I felt a little rusty, but it was OK," Williams said. "Body is fine. I just had to get my feet moving, but it was OK." The 24th-ranked Makarova broke Williams serve in the first game of the match and was serving for the set at 5-4. Thats when the Russian played an error-riddled game to allow Williams to even the score to 5-5. Williams had one set point on Makarovas serve in the 12th game, but smacked a backhand return over the baseline. In the tiebreaker, Makarova had two set points at 6-4 and 6-5, but couldnt take advantage of the opportunities. Williams took the first set on her third set point in the tiebreaker when Makarova shipped a forehand long. "I was really telling myself to stay positive, because I was making a lot of errors that I normally dont make, and my serve just wasnt popping the way it normally is," Williams said. "It definitely got better in the second set." In the second set, the real Serena Williams showed up and raced to a 5-0 lead. However, she had trouble serving out the final game of the match -- facing three break points before winning on her second match point when Makarova made a forehand error. "She never gives up, and in that last game she started playing even better," Williams said. "I knew that I wanted to close it out there, because shed probably feel comfortable with holding serve and it would have been a longer match." Williams now plays Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic or fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the quarter-finals. Earlier, Ivanovic sent sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber packing 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6). The former top-ranked Ivanovic had three match points on Kerbers serve in the 12th game but couldnt close it out against the German who reached last weeks Doha final. Ivanovic even faced a battle in the tiebreaker. The Serbian led 5-1, but Kerber battled back to where she even had a match point at 6-5. "The first two sets a little bit too many errors on my side and a little bit from her side," Ivanovic said. "Shes such a tough competitor and retrieves lots of balls. "Im just so happy to be through." Seventh-seeded Simona Halep, who won last weeks Qatar Open in Doha, retired with a right Achilles injury while trailing Alize Cornet of France 6-1, 1-1, in the first match of the day. Halep complained of an inflamed Achilles during her run to the Doha title. "I wanted to try because I like to try to fight for my chance, but here I couldnt," Halep said. "After one set I realized that it is dangerous to continue." Eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki had to overcome a one-set deficit to outmanoeuvr Sabine Lisicki of Germany 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 and move into the second round. "I knew she was going to come out hot and just go for her shots, and I felt like I was just a step behind," said Wozniacki, who sports an 8-carat diamond engagement ring from fiance, golfer Rory McIloy everywhere she goes except on court. "It was nice to win this one, and, you know, onwards and upwards, as they say." Wozniacki will face German qualifier Annika Beck in the second round. Beck defeated Samantha Stosur of Australia 1-6, 6-1, 6-4. Eddie Mathews Braves Jersey . Bryce Harper? He also came into Wednesday without a long ball and hadnt driven in a run. He was hitting .160, had nearly three times as many strikeouts as hits and was dropped to seventh in the batting order. Billy Hamilton Braves Jersey . Pretty good hitting, too. Dan Haren pitched six innings and sparked the go-ahead rally with a single, leading Los Angeles to another win over the skidding Atlanta Braves, 4-2 on Tuesday night. https://www.cheapbraves.com/1943o-jim-bouton-jersey-braves.html . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer. Huascar Ynoa Jersey . -- Ryan Gropp scored in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Spokane Chiefs 1-0 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday. Dale Murphy Jersey . Pistorius denied the allegation that he said to the close friend of the girlfriend he killed: "How can you sleep at night?" The accusation by Kim Myers provided a bizarre twist during the trial of the world-famous double-amputee Olympian, who is facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder for shooting dead Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, at his home last year.SAN JOSE SHARKSLAST SEASON: 51-22-9, 111 points. Lost to Los Angeles in first round of playoffs.COACH: Todd McLellan, 7th season with Sharks, 271-130-57; seventh overall in NHL.ADDED: F John Scott, F Tye McGinn, D Taylor Fedun.LOST: D Dan Boyle, D Brad Stuart, F Marty Havlat.PLAYER TO WATCH: Joe Thornton. Despite finishing second in the league in assists last season, Thornton was stripped of his captaincy this summer in response to the Sharks playoff collapse against Los Angeles. San Jose became the fourth NHL team to lose a best-of-seven series after winning the first three games. That prompted a search for new leaders. Thornton expressed no desire to leave San Jose but how he reacts tto the new role and how he plays this season will be key questions going forward.ddddddddddddOUTLOOK: The Sharks began the off-season with general manager Doug Wilson talking of rebuilding and becoming a tomorrow team after being a Stanley Cup contender for most of the past decade. Wilson has altered his stance a bit and the players still believe this team can compete with the other powers out West. Much of the success will hinge on continued improvement from younger core players like Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl; Brent Burns move back to defence from forward; and more depth on the bottom two lines to take pressure off Thornton and Patrick Marleau. ' ' ' |
became the fourth NHL team to lose a best-of-seven s
