When the 2016 tennis season unfurled Down Under, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic were the unchallenged champions of their elite orbits.
Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic .By the end of the year, the No. 1 players had been unseated in shocking fashion by two exceptionally late bloomers, Angelique Kerber and Andy Murray.Williams was the WTAs top-ranked player for 186 consecutive weeks, equaling Steffi Grafs Open era record. Djokovic occupied the ATP World Tour throne for 122 consecutive weeks. Collectively, thats nearly six straight years of dominance.The year-end obituaries of the fallen No. 2-ranked players, however, sounded a bit shrill.As 2017 rapidly approaches, we can report that Williams -- now a doddering 35 -- and the 29-year-old Djokovic are still breathing. In fact, it wouldnt be a stretch to imagine them winning multiple Slams and reclaiming their No. 1 rankings.Amid all the hype and talk of change, its easy to forget that Djokovic won the first two majors of the season and made the final of the fourth; Williams lost to Kerber in the final of the Australian Open and beat her in the Wimbledon final.In retrospect, its now clear Serena spoiled us with a late-career surge that has no historic parallel. After turning 30, following the 2011 US Open, she won nine of the next 20 Grand Slam singles titles -- dominating womens tennis over a five-year span in spectacular fashion.She and Djokovic still have their supporters.Its Jan. 30, the Monday after the Australian Open ends, said Brad Gilbert, who coached Andy Murray, Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick. And you tell me that [Serena/Djokovic] double happened. No, I wouldnt be surprised -- at all.Djoker has won six of those titles. Serenas like a stock -- how do you predict it? The fact shes played as little as she has -- shes 35, and shes probably the betting favorite. Sort of like Tom Brady and the Patriots. Dont focus on the age; look at the history.Both Djokovic and Williams struggled with injuries, which led to diminished confidence -- their signature weapon in recent years.Heading into this years US Open, Williams was still a favorite, and with a title, would have strung together another excellent year. Instead she got beaten by ascendant Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals.I wasnt able to move the way I wanted to move, Williams told the media afterward. When youre injured, youre thinking of other things when you should be just playing and thinking of your shots. My mind was just a little bit everywhere.So was her season. There were surprisingly early losses in the Rio Olympics in singles and, with sister Venus, doubles. Serena finished with two titles (Wimbledon and Rome) and played only 44 matches, her lowest totals in five years. And, for the second consecutive year, she shut her season down after the US Open.Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, was moved to call it a very bad season.Williams, who was dogged by shoulder and knee issues, literally limped away from the year.Djokovic nursed a nagging arm injury and, after winning the French Open to complete his career Grand Slam, tailed off drastically. After losing to Murray in the final of the ATP year-end event, Djokovic looked and sounded weary.Right now, he said to the media, the goal is just to rest a little bit. Its been a long season, a very nice year, a lot to reflect on, a lot to take in. Its time to leave the racket aside for a little bit, just recover.There will be no recovery for six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker, the coach who was the most notable collateral damage after Djokovics second-half swoon. After three years with Djokovic, Becker was terminated at the end of the season.Because theyre getting a bit older, both Djokovic and Williams will be playing in 2017 with an enormous sense of urgency. Its suddenly a shrinking universe, with all kinds of younger players -- Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori, Nick Kyrgios, Simona Halep, Pliskova and Madison Keys -- all looking for their first Slam win.Nearing 30, Djokovic has crossed that line of demarcation for male tennis players. Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal, who have won a total of 45 majors, collected only two among them after their 29th birthdays.Djokovic, with 12 Grand Slam singles titles, needs two to equal Sampras and Nadal and five to catch Federer. Williams is tied with Graf with 22 major titles, two behind all-time leader Margaret Smith Court.What must Serena and Djokovic do to successfully hit the reset button?Pam Shriver, and ESPN analyst who won 21 Grand Slam doubles titles, said they need to make an immediate impression.I think they have to play well in Australia -- maybe not win it but go deep in the draw, she said. For their own confidence and also sending a message to rest of the field. I think its going to be easier for Djokovic than Serena. I dont have lot of confidence in this mid-30s-take-four-months-off thing. I hope she can prove me wrong. Until then, I am skeptical.I think theyll both win majors; one of them will win more than one. The current No. 1s, Kerber and Murray, are in it to win it for the year. On the mens side, I think it will be the most unpredictable year since 2003 going back to Federers first Slam.
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Fake College Jerseys . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety.
https://www.ncaajerseys2020.com/ . Neymar curled home a free kick from just outside the area to put the 2014 World Cup host ahead in the 44th minute. Three minutes after the break, a simple through pass from Paulinho freed Oscar and the Chelsea star rounded goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong to extend Brazils lead. For a split-second, Umesh Yadavs heart was in his mouth. Hed had the key wicket of Englands innings clasped in his hands but appeared to have tossed it away in a celebratory gesture reminiscent of Herschelle Gibbs infamous dropping of the World Cup at Headingley in 1999.This time, however, there was no reprieve for the oppositions centurion. Whereas at Headingley 17 years ago, Steve Waugh went on to make a matchwinning 120 not out, in Rajkot Joe Root was sent on his way for 124, as Yadav ended a vital 179-run stand for Englands fourth wicket.The moment happened at blink-and-you-miss-it speed. Root, on the front foot, drove hard back towards Yadavs knees, and in a single upwards motion, the bowler first wrapped his fingers round the ball then flung it skywards, but with less control than he might have desired.In a moment of panic, Yadav parried it over his head, peered back over his shoulder to locate the ball, then watched it flop to the turf near umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Root, understandably, stood his ground, but the batsmans fate was effectively sealed from the moment that Dharmasena gave a soft signal to the third umpire, Rod Tucker, that he believed that Yadav had been in control of the ball for long enough, and therefore the catch was fair.The relevant part of the Law (19.4) states:The act of making the catch, or of fielding the ball, shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with some part of a fielders person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control both over the ball and over his own movement.I think the on-field umpires soft signal was the key, Fraser Stewart, of the MCC, told ESPNcricinfo. If hed given a not-out soft signal, there was probably enough doubt to kkeep it as not out.
Cheap College Jerseys 2020. . However, as the soft signal was out, the on-field umpires must have been happy with it as their gut reaction and, had it been in a game with no reviews or referrals, they would have given it out.Did he have complete control over the ball? In slow-motion you would probably say yes, but in real time its less clear. It could easily be argued either way.The soft signal was introduced in response to concerns that TV replays, for all the benefits that they offer, dont always show the full picture as experienced live out in the middle. Low catches, in particular, have often fallen victim to the phenomenon of foreshortening, as 3D events are replayed on 2D screens. In November 2014, the ICC introduced the concept of broadcasting the discussions between on-field and third umpires, to further demystify the process for viewers.Decision-making is an important skill and one that should be applied at the highest level of the game, umpire Simon Taufel told the Times of India recently. So, the soft signal maintains the premise that the decision-making happens on field and not just left to technology to provide an outcome.Root himself was phlegmatic about the incident. I was so disgusted with the shot that - giving it the Arsene Wenger approach - I didnt really see what was happening.But having seen the slow-motion replay, it does look out. When its sped up it looks a bit strange, but I was very lucky to get an umpires call with an lbw earlier on and you have to take the rough with the smooth sometimes and just get on with it.Additional reporting by George Dobell ' ' '