MELBOURNE, Australia - At an Australian Open marked by upsets and new story lines, Rafael Nadal will play Sundays final against a man often called the "other" Swiss tennis player. Now, after a stunning run in Melbourne, Stanislas Wawrinka has a new nickname: The Stanimal — a tribute to his gritty, fight-until-the end style of tennis. Fittingly, perhaps, the name was apparently coined by none other than Roger Federer, in a tweet of support for his friend which quickly caught on earlier in the tournament. Now that Federer is out of the running — he lost to Nadal in the semifinals — the 17-time Grand Slam winner and long-time ambassador for Swiss tennis has joined those cheering for Wawrinka to win his first Grand Slam final. It is a match that holds historical significance for all three players. If the No. 1-ranked Nadal wins, as the odds suggest he will, the 27-year-old Spaniard will become the first player to win each of the majors twice in the Open era. It would be his 14th Grand Slam trophy and bring him one step closer to Federers all-time record of 17. If No. 8-ranked Wawrinka beats Nadal to win his first major title, he catapults to a career high of No. 3 in the rankings. Just reaching the final assures Wawrinka of the No. 5 spot, meaning for the first time he will pass Federer, who is now ranked sixth. On the eve of the final, Wawrinka said he was still shocked by his success. "Its insane. Its incredible," the 28-year-old Wawrinka said Saturday, speaking to reporters in English and in his native French. "I never imagined that one day I would be here, playing in the final." After a breakthrough year in 2013, Wawrinka is playing the best tennis of his life in Melbourne. He knocked out three-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and beat No. 7 Tomas Berdych in the semifinals. He knows how tough it will be to beat Nadal — hes tried and failed 12 times. "Ive played him so many times, and lost so many times, but Im going to try again," Wawrinka said. "I know what I have to do. I know that I have to play aggressive, serve really well, and try to always push him." "Im playing my best tennis here," Wawrinka added. "Physically, Im ready.". Nadal says hes ready, too, for a breakthrough at what he calls his unluckiest Grand Slam. Nadal won in Melbourne in 2009 but in subsequent years struggled with injuries during or before the seasons first major. He missed the 2013 Australian Open during a seven-month layoff for illness and a knee injury. He returned to win the French and U.S. Open last year but reaching the final in Melbourne holds special significance. "After missing last year for me its really, really emotional to be back on this court, Rod Laver Arena, and to be able to play another final," said Nadal, who has known Wawrinka since they were teens, playing junior tournaments in Europe. "Hes a good friend, a great guy. Im so happy for him that hes in the final. He deserves it," Nadal said. "I know it will be a very, very tough match." Wawrinkas other longtime friend, Federer, had hoped Sundays story would be about an all-Swiss final. But after losing the latest installment of the Federer-Nadal rivalry, hes cheering for Wawrinka. "I hope he wins, and I hope he gives everything he has," Federer said. "Theres no reason not believe that he can beat Rafa." "Stans in his first Grand Slam final, so that makes Stan also unpredictable. Hes got to use that to his advantage."
Dallas Stars Jerseys . Toronto (11-12) gave up leads in 10-8 and 11-4 losses to the Baltimore Orioles this week. It was never close Friday as the Boston Red Sox got to Mark Buehrle early en route to an 8-1 win.
Craig Hartsburg Jersey .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final.
http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/cur ... ey-jersey/. PETERSBURG, Fla.
Mattias Janmark Jersey . Cesar said the difficulties he went through after the 2010 World Cup helped him become "a better professional" and made him "more focused" on his career. He admitted that he took things for granted before the World Cup in South Africa, when he arrived considered the worlds top goalkeeper.
Jason Spezza Jersey . The ongoing funk on penalty kill and an unusually quiet night on home ice for the power play divided the Leafs from the Bruins at the ACC in a rare Sunday night affair.Henrik Stenson vowed to put in extra work on the practice range in Dubai as he reflected on a second-round 69 featuring two bizarre incidents at the DP World Tour Championship. Stenson carded four birdies and just his second bogey of the tournament despite not playing great, and he will go into the weekend on three under alongside Danny Willett, his closest rival for the Race to Dubai crown.The Open champion looked perplexed when calling for a ruling on the second hole when somebody picked up his ball, and he was shaken on the 13th when a blocked his tee shot into the gallery, where a female spectator was struck on the head. Henrik Stenson tees off on the second, where he would later have his ball stolen As the Swede offered his apologies before she headed off for treatment, the unfortunate spectator informed him that he was her favourite golfer, and Stenson said: I didnt expect her to say that after being hit!It was a very unfortunate circumstance. I flared my five-iron right and Im standing there thinking, is it going in the bunker or flying over the bunker, and next thing, I see it go into the crowd and hit someone. It was actually a miss-hit up into the wind into the right and it went further than the pin number, so something was quirky there. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price Unfortunately I hit the lady and she went down. But I had some reports later in the round that she was doing okay, and of course, you get shocked when you get hit like that and its painful. Yeah, Im just making sure that were going to get her details so I can send her something nice.On the bizarre incident on the second, he added: I dont know if it was a marshal or who it was, but we hit it right short right of the green, and then we heard someone picked it up. Stenson hit a female spectator with his tee shot at the 13th So I dont know why anyone that enters a golf tournament is picking up a golf ball insides the ropes, that seems a bit weird to me. But it happens, unfortunately. I had to call for a ruling and then we estimated where it was supposed to be and dropped it there and on we go. McIlroy back on form Rory McIlroy bounced back from a flat opening day with a second-round 68 in Dubai Stenson made only one birdie in his opening 72 that included 16 pars, but he attributed his second effort to a vast improvement on the greens as he moved to three under for the tournament. Live European Tour Golf November 19, 2016, 8:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Im definitely not playing great, but I had some more chances today and the putter was behaving a lot better than yesterday, he said.dddddddddddd I holed out nicely and made a few for birdie, so it was definitely the putter that kept it together.Its a bit of a grind, were not playing our best but Im hanging in there and fighting hard. I know the guys are going to come at me. I know its going to be a long weekend and they are going to keep on pushing me. So Im just trying to do my best, and Im going to do a bit of practice; its needed. Danny Willett reflects on a number of missed chances during his second round 70 in Dubai Willett, who trails Stenson by almost 300,000 points in the Race to Dubai standings, birdied two of the first three holes only to give both shots back with bogeys at five and seven.But the Masters champion negotiated the remainder of his round error free and picked up further shots at the 14th and 16th to return a 70 that he believed should have been far lower had it not been for some poor putting. Danny Willett was frustrated by his poor form on the greens I hit it good again, but Ive been very bad with the putter on the back nine, he said. Just a shame to only take two out of the last six or seven holes so its a bit frustrating, but there are two rounds left.Last week I was hitting it bad and that was frustrating, and this week Im hitting it good and its frustrating because the blade is not working. Things need to get back to going our way a little bit and theres a really good score not that far away.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Race to Dubai contenders Dubai leaderboard Golf live on Sky Sports 4 European Tour Schedule
Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys China Womens NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Jerseys NFL China Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap ' ' '
gửi bởi lxt1217 » Thứ 6 03/08/18 17:05 
