yyys123
Joined: 08 Jul 2019
Posts: 885
|
 Posted: 22.02.2009 Post subject: nth to beat Detroit |
 |
|
|
| PARIS -- Nothing came easily for Maria Sharapova in the French Open final. Serves hit by her surgically repaired shoulder often missed the mark, resulting in 12 double-faults. Shots that would be winners against most opponents were retrieved by Simona Halep and sent right back. Leads that usually hold up vanished in a blink. On a muggy afternoon, with the temperature in the high 70s (20s Celsius), points were lung-searing struggles. Sharapova was up to the task. In an entertaining and undulating championship match -- the first womens final at Roland Garros in 13 years to go three sets -- Sharapova showed that shes as tough as they come, particularly on the red clay that used to flummox her. She edged Halep 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 Saturday to win a second French Open title in three years. "This is the toughest Grand Slam final Ive ever played," Sharapova said. It is her fifth major trophy in all. Remarkably, Sharapova owns twice as many from Paris as the one each she won at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006, and the Australian Open in 2008. "If somebody had told me ... at some stage in my career, that Id have more Roland Garros titles than any other Grand Slam, Id probably go get drunk," Sharapova said with a chuckle. "Or tell them to get drunk. One or the other." The 3-hour, 2-minute tangle featured too many momentum swings to count, filled with lengthy baseline exchanges, and terrific defence and shotmaking by both women. Not bad for someone who once famously described herself as feeling like a "cow on ice" when it came to playing on clay, a slow, demanding surface that requires excellent footwork. Now Sharapova knows how to move on clay, and can stretch points when needed. Since the start of 2012, Sharapova is 54-4 with seven titles on clay. Shes also won 20 consecutive clay three-setters, including four in a row this week. "It says that shes very fit. It says that shes very determined," said Sven Groenefeld, Sharapovas coach. "And it says that she never gives up." Sharapova broke into a huge smile while hoisting the trophy overhead, then shaking it with both hands and scanning a stadium that, improbably, has become hers. This was her third final in a row in Paris: She won the 2012 title to complete a career Grand Slam, then lost last year to Serena Williams, who bowed out in the second round this time. Sharapova is 20-1 the last three years at Roland Garros -- which is nothing compared to Rafael Nadals 65-1 career French Open mark heading into Sundays final Sunday against Novak Djokovic, but certainly quite impressive. "Youre not just born being a natural clay-court player. OK, maybe if youre Nadal. But certainly not me," Sharapova said. "I didnt grow up on it; didnt play on it. I just took it upon myself to make myself better on it." Plus, Sharapova had an operation on her right shoulder, the one she uses to swing her racket, in October 2008. That joint troubled the Russian again in 2013, when she played one match from July to December. She now travels with a physiotherapist, Jerome Bianchi, and told him during the post-match ceremony, "Thank you for keeping me healthy." This was the ninth Grand Slam final for the No. 7-seeded Sharapova, and the first for Halep, a 22-year-old Romanian seeded fourth. Supported by a dozen folks in her guest box wearing red T-shirts saying "Allez Simona," and fans that chanted her first name, Halep acquitted herself well, showing off the scrambling baseline style that carried her to six straight-set wins until Saturday. "I will not forget this match," said Halep, who wiped away tears afterward. Each time it appeared Sharapova was ready to pull away, she was forced to do extra work. At 4-3 in the second set, Sharapova held two break points, but Halep saved both with gutsy groundstrokes. In the tiebreaker, Sharapova got within two points of victory at 5-3, but Halep took the next four to claim the set. Thats when Sharapova left for the locker room, taking an 8-minute break during which she changed out of her sweat-soaked outfit -- and let Halep stew for a bit. Sharapova went ahead 4-2, but Halep broke back to 4-all. It turned out that was her last stand, though. Sharapova wouldnt lose another point, gritting her teeth and shaking her fists after breaking at love for 5-4 with a backhand winner, then holding at love by forcing a backhand error from Halep on match point. When it ended, Sharapova dropped to her knees, caking her shins with clay, and folded her body forward, burying her face in her hands. "I had good tactics today. I opened the angles. Also, I was hitting the ball strong," Halep said. But Sharapova, Halep continued, "was moving really well." Cow on ice? More like Queen of Clay. Eden Hazard Jersey . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Dries Mertens Belgium Jersey .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday. http://www.soccerbelgiumteamonline.com/Adnan-Januzaj-UEFA-European-Belgium-Jersey/ . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Koen Casteels Jersey . A criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court said his girlfriend told police they got into the argument early Thursday at his suburban Minneapolis home. Marouane Fellaini Jersey . "I just think what it does for everybody in life is real simple," said Babcock early on Friday afternoon. "You dont give in. You just keep on keeping on. Is it going to go your way every time? No. But you choose your attitude and how you perform and how hard you dig in." Nearly four years to the day of the 2010 gold medal match in Vancouver, his team dug in with its best effort of these Olympics, snuffing out the high-powered Americans for another opportunity at gold.MIAMI -- As Henderson Alvarez discussed his two-hit victory in the Miami Marlins clubhouse, teammate Jose Fernandez served as a translator. The performance actually spoke for itself. Alvarez won for the first time since his no-hitter to end the 2013 season, helping Miami beat the Seattle Mariners 7-0 Saturday. The Venezuelan faced only 28 batters, one over the minimum. "It was amazing," praised Fernandez, who watched from the dugout with other Marlins pitchers. "From the first inning he was locating his pitches well. We were all sitting together, so it was exciting watching him throw like that." Alvarez (1-2) retired the first 15 batters en route to the third complete game and third shutout of his career. He struck out four, walked none and threw 90 pitches. "Talk about efficiency," manager Mike Redmond said. "In the first inning you could sense the intensity, and the way he was executing his pitches, you could tell he was on a mission." Alvarez said he was mindful in the early innings of his shot at a second no-hitter. "I thought about it, but I was concentrating on getting outs," Alvarez said in Spanish. The Mariners lost their fifth game in a row and were shut out for the fourth time. "This is a tough stretch for us," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Everybody in baseball goes through tough stretches, and we just happen to have ours now. Weve got to grind it out and keep our heads up and keep going." Alvarez generated more offence than Seattle, driving in a run with a two-out broken-bat single in the sixth off rookie Roenis Elias to make it 3-0. The hit left Alvarez shaking his right hand in pain. "He jammed me hard," he said. "I thought I broke all five fingers when I got to first base." Elias (1-2) allowed six runs in 5 2-3 innings. Marcell Ozuna had a three-run homer, his third, and an RBI single to hike his average to .343. Adeiny Hechavarria contributed three hits, scored twice and made two fine plays at shortstop. Christian Yelich doubled to extend his hitting strreak to 13 games.dddddddddddd. The Mariners had eight left-handers in the lineup against Alvarez, but that didnt faze the right-hander, who retired the side in order for five innings before Dustin Ackley singled to shallow left-centre on the first pitch of the sixth. The pitch was a sinker called by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "That wasnt the pitch I wanted to throw," Alvarez said. "It was a little high. I wanted to throw a changeup down." After the crowd of 24,003 gave Alvarez a warm ovation, Ackley was erased on a double play. Mike Zunino doubled with one out in the ninth for the Mariners other hit before Alvarez closed out the Marlins first complete game this year. He lowered his ERA from 4.30 to 2.66. "He was keeping the ball down and hitting his spots," Saltalamacchia said. "If he missed, he missed away. In his last few starts he left balls up in the zone a little bit." Alvarez, who turned 24 Friday, reached 96 mph on the scoreboard radar gun and had good command of his sinker. He went to three balls on only one batter, and induced 17 groundball outs. "When you run into a guy thats got three or four pitches working and hes a power pitcher, its going to be tough," McClendon said. "Youre probably going to have a long night. Thats the way it was." The dominating performance was reminiscent of Alvarezs no-hitter on the final day of last season, when Miami scored in the bottom of the ninth to beat Detroit 1-0. That was the first time a no-hitter was secured with a walk-off wild pitch to bring home the winning run, and Alvarez was in the on-deck circle at the time. NOTES: Marlins 2B Rafael Furcal (hamstring) will begin a rehabilitation assignment Monday with Double-A Jacksonville. ... Marlins RHP Jacob Turner (shoulder) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Wednesday for Class A Jupiter. ... The Mariners Corey Hart was given the night off. ... Seattle RHP Brandon Maurer and Marlins RHP Kevin Slowey are scheduled to make their first starts of the season Sunday. ' ' ' |
|
