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Geregistreerd op: 24 Okt 2019
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 Geplaatst: 21-11-2019 07:04:49 Onderwerp: on the play to end the inning |
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| NEW YORK -- James Blake rested his white baseball hat on the table at the front of the U. Ian Happ Jersey .S. Opens main interview room, smiled, and began speaking Monday about his impending retirement from tennis. The former top-five player was relaxed, composed and matter-of-fact. "No real surprise here. This is my last tournament," the 33-year-old American said on Day 1 of the years last Grand Slam. "I have had 14 pretty darn good years on tour, loved every minute of it, and I definitely couldnt have asked for a better career." As Blake continued with his opening statement, discussing why he decided to leave the tour after the U.S. Open, he explained: "There are so many athletes that say they can never replace that feeling of having that adrenaline rush, but I get more of an adrenaline rush now seeing my daughter wake up in the morning. Thats something that Im truly looking forward to -- being able to spend more time with my wife and daughter." And with that, his voice got caught on the words and his eyes reddened. Blake reached with his left hand to wipe away tears, until someone in the audience tossed him a white towel to dab at his eyes. "Despite the tears, Im actually really happy about this," Blake said. "I can do it on my own terms. Always wanted to do that. I thought about it a ton this year." Blake, who attended Harvard before turning pro in 1999, reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in 2006. He is currently 100th and has a 9-13 record this season heading into his first-round match in the U.S. Open against Ivo Karlovic. "I dont kid myself. I know I have had a great career in my eyes, but its not one thats going to go down in the history books," Blake said. "Its not one thats going to end in Newport" -- the home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame -- "but its one that Im proud of." Blake joined Andy Roddick and twins Bob and Mike Bryan to help the United States beat Russia in the 2007 Davis Cup final in Portland, Ore., giving the Americans their first title in that international competition in 12 years, their countrys longest gap between victories. "My proudest moment was Portland, without a doubt," Blake said. He won 10 singles titles, most recently in 2007. At Grand Slam tournaments, he reached the quarterfinals three times, including twice at the U.S. Open, losing at that stage in New York to Andre Agassi in 2005, and to Roger Federer the following year. That five-set loss to Agassi, Blake said, was his "biggest highlight and lowlight, at the same time." This tournament always seemed to bring out the best in Blake, who was born in Yonkers and went to high school in Connecticut. He closed his news conference Monday by describing how he used to sneak under a fence as a kid to get into the U.S. Open without paying. Long a fan favourite at Flushing Meadows, his matches often were accompanied by raucous cheering and chanting from a sizable group of supporters known as the "J-Block." "Obviously, the U.S. Open was a special place for him. I understand how he would want to end here. You know, I think he still has a lot of great tennis in him, but hes decided that now is the time for him," said Venus Williams, the 2000-01 U.S. Open champion. "He has a family now, so those are important priorities, from what I hear. Hes ready, so all we can do is support him." Blakes announcement came a year after Roddick, his friend and former Davis Cup teammate, decided to make the U.S. Open the final tournament of his career. "I know Andys decision last year was a little different. ... We got along great, but he was a little more impetuous at times, and Im definitely a little more thought-out and it takes me a little longer," Blake said. "It took me a while to come to this decision, so Im really happy with it and comfortable with it." He talked about having come close to being forced to end his playing days nearly a decade ago because of two health scares. In May 2004, during a practice session for a tournament in Rome, Blake slipped on the clay court and slammed into a net post, breaking vertebrae in his neck. In August of that year, he got an illness that affected his sight and temporarily paralyzed part of his face. In between, his father died from stomach cancer; Blake wound up raising millions of dollars for cancer research. Asked what his plans are for now, Blake said he wants to work on his golf game -- and change his 1-year-olds diapers. Looking "way down the road," as he put it, he would like to be the U.S. Davis Cup captain, and perhaps work as a television commentator. At this very moment, though, he would like to win a match or two at his final tournament. "I dont want to be dragged out of this game. I dont want someone telling me I need to leave," Blake said. "I want to leave on my own terms. Im happy doing that right now." Chicago Cubs Store . Following the Ford Womens World Curling Championship gold medal match that attracted record-breaking audiences to TSN, the networks exclusive live coverage of the tournament begins Saturday at 7am et/4am pt with Canadas opening draw against Denmark. Larry Bowa Cubs Jersey . Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. https://www.cheapcubs.com/1220t-keith-moreland-jersey-cubs.html . Wearing bib No. 1, Maze skied through the gates cleanly to defend her big first-run lead and finish 0.07 seconds ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria. Defending champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was third, trailing 0.HOUSTON -- Houstons Jarred Cosart had a tough start Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. He still managed to hang in the game for five innings and help the Astros to a 6-5 win. Jason Castro hit a three-run homer and Dexter Fowler homered and drove in two runs in the victory. Castros home run came in Houstons four-run first inning. The White Sox scored two in the second and one in the third to cut the lead to one before Fowlers solo shot in the fifth inning. His RBI single in the seventh inning pushed the lead to 6-3. Cosart (3-3) allowed seven hits, three runs and tied a season-high by walking four. Houston manager Bo Porter was impressed with how Cosart handled adversity on Saturday. "I think thats good for his maturation," Porter said. Cosart said he had trouble gripping the ball after the first inning and was relieved he was able to pitch as long as he did. "Its our job just to try to keep the team in the game for as many innings as we can," he said. "Tonight I didnt have the sixth, seventh or eighth like I want. But just to get through that fifth was huge and for Bo to have confidence to leave me out there for that last batter was big." Kyle Farnsworth had a tough debut with the Astros after being signed Saturday. Alejandro De Aza and Gordon Beckham each had an RBI off of the veteran reliever in the eighth inning to cut the lead to 6-5. He was replaced by Darin Downs with two outs. Downs retired Conor Gillaspie to end the inning and Chad Qualls pitched a perfect ninth for his third save. Chicagos Hector Noesi (0-4) gave up eight hits and six runs -- five earned -- in six innings to remain winless in four starts and 10 appearances this season. Alexei Ramirez had two hits and an RBI, and rookie Jose Abreu drove in his AL-leading 42nd RBI with a sacrifice in the third. Abreu played designated hitter for the second straight game to rest his sore left ankle. He is 0 for 7 in this series and was replaced by pinch hitter Paul Konerko with one out in the seventh inning. Manager Robin Venturaa said he took him out because he thought he looked "awkward" on his last swing and that he didnt expect him to play on Sunday. Pedro Strop Jersey. . "Its like he takes a couple steps forward, and then he takes a step back, so we took him out, and we will re-evaluate him after (Saturday)," Ventura said. "It just looked like he might do something else that would injure something else, so we took him out as a precaution right now." Fowler finished with three hits and rookie George Springer had two hits, including his first career triple, and an RBI. Jose Altuve hit a leadoff single before Springers hit sailed just over the head of centre fielder De Aza for a triple to put Houston up 1-0. Fowler walked before Castros sixth home run this season pushed the lead to 4-0. There were runners at second and third with two outs in the inning when right fielder Moises Sierra robbed Marwin Gonzalez of a hit and likely saved a couple of runs with a nifty diving catch. Noesi settled down after the first inning and allowed just two hits -- both singles -- over the next three innings before Fowlers homer with no outs in the fifth. Adam Dunn walked to start the second inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramirez to get Chicago within 4-1. Cosart issued consecutive walks after that to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Sierra made it 4-2, but De Aza was out at third on the play to end the inning. Beckham doubled with no outs in the third, took second on a groundout and scored on a groundout by Abreu to cut the lead to 4-3. Fowlers opposite field shot to the Crawford Boxes in left field to start Houstons fifth inning extended the lead to 5-3. NOTES: The series wraps up Sunday when Houstons Brad Peacock looks for his first win when he faces left-hander John Danks. ... Chicago LHP Chris Sale, who has been on the disabled list since April 22 with a left flexor strain, allowed one hit and struck out 11 in four innings in his first rehabilitation start in Triple-A on Friday night. Ventura isnt sure when hell be ready to rejoin the team. ' ' ' |
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