Dein erstes Forum » is third straight game with a strained r

NEW YORK -- Barely 48 hours after Angelique Kerber waxed eloquent about how part of her championship journey this year included overcoming a tendency to lapse into negativity and express herself with adverse body language, there she was -- wagging her head, bouncing her racket, flipping her palms up in frustration.She had good reason. She had just lost control of the US Open final, making unexpected errors that allowed first-time Grand Slam finalist Karolina Pliskova a service break. The challenger, seeded No. 10, went on to win the second set. With the wind at her back, Pliskova then broke No. 2 Kerber to take a 2-1 lead in the third.It seemed that Kerber was about to produce an object lesson in how easily we regress to an earlier self, even if it isnt a better one. But Kerber had one more major surprise in store this year.She pulled out of her swoon, breaking Pliskova in the sixth game for 3-all. Suddenly the pessimistic mannerisms evaporated. Her energy level spiked, and her vaunted consistency returned. Kerber won it going away in a high-quality, 2-hour, 7-minute final, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.I was trying to change it [my negativity] in the third set, but it was not so easy because Karolina is a tough opponent, Kerber said. I just told myself, OK, stay positive. I was thinking a little bit of the [third set in the] final in Australia. I believed then my game, and I did it today, as well. So that was in my mind to stop the negative emotions.Kerbers victory over her doubts and the kind of perfectionism that too often yields disillusion in the ubertalented is the main theme of her spectacular year. It sets an example for all the other talented but flawed WTA contenders, and blows apart the theory that parity is inevitable. Whats even more remarkable is that she effected this transformation at a relatively late age.At 28, shes the oldest first-time No. 1 player, and just the fourth Open-era player to reach three Grand Slam finals in the same year she reached her first. Kerber upset top-seeded Serena Williams in the Australian Open final but lost the rematch at Wimbledon. They never met at the US Open. Li Na, now retired, is the only other woman who won her first two Grand Slam titles after 28.Kerber embarked on this year with two goals: She wanted to improve her fitness and wanted to be more aggressive, taking charge of points with an eye to finishing points when she had the opportunity. When you know you can run forever on court, youre not worried that you can play three sets, Kerber said. I think this is really important for your confidence.A string of close, frustrating losses in 2015 also convinced Kerber and her team that she needed to play more aggressive tennis. As with negativity, old habits are difficult to overcome. She had no trouble being aggressive in practice. In matches, she reverted to poking back the ball. Just to make the transfer to matches, that was the challenge, she said.Kerber made the transfer successfully in Australia, realizing the lifelong dream of every pro when she won a Grand Slam title. But in the ensuing months, she backslid. Her new status entailed obligations and a raft of pressures. Her results fluctuated wildly. She won Stuttgart, but lost her opening matches in the big combined clay-court tournaments in Madrid and Rome, and flamed out in the first round in the French Open. It was beginning to look like her run in Australia was just one of those things. More proof that nobody was really ready to step forward and make a bid to knock Williams off her No. 1 perch and take command of the WTA.Looking back, Kerber admits she just couldnt deal with the pressure when she arrived in Paris. But after she lost there, she went home and told herself, OK, just start practicing hard and go for it. You did it once, you still have two Grand Slams in front of you. Dont make things too complicated. Try to relax, enjoy every moment, get used to everything.Kerber has found her game and reinvented herself at an auspicious moment. With the Williams sisters grudgingly but inevitably giving more and more ground to age and injury, Kerber is not merely a nominal No. 1. She earned the honor the hard way, at Grand Slam events. She secured it with an impressive act of transformation. She showed that old habits and selves die hard, but they can be reformed.Definitely I would say now that [Kerber] deserves to be No. 1 because she did so well, Pliskova acknowledged after the final. She has two Grand Slam titles, one final, few other titles. Shes been just playing great this year, and constant. She deserve to be No. 1. And after years what Serena was there, I think its a nice change.Nice or not, it certainly makes for an interesting scenario for next year. Air Max Clearance Canada . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Air Max Sale Canada . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. http://www.cheapairmaxcanada.com/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Air Max Clearance . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Air Max Canada . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrooks triple-double streak ended at seven games, but he finished the night with two things that meant more to him -- a win and his long-lost shooting stroke.Westbrook scored 23 of his 37 points in the second half to help the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Boston Celtics 99-96 on Sunday. He had 12 rebounds but only six assists, ending the NBAs longest triple-double run since Michael Jordan had seven straight in 1989.Westbrook hadnt been satisfied. He shot just under 38 percent during the streak, and said after Fridays loss to Houston that it bothered him. Against the Celtics, he made 14 of 26 shots and finally found his rhythm.Just taking shots I wanted to take, that was the most important part, he said. And playing from the block. Thats the most important part. I talked to my dad this morning, and he got on me about not using that to my advantage, and I definitely tried to do more of that tonight.Westbrook wasnt worried about the streak ending.Honestly, Im just happy we won tonight, he said. Thats the most important thing. As a player, I always try to look forward. Maybe at the end of the season, I can talk about it, but as of right now, my job is to move forward and get ready for Portland.Steven Adams scored 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting and Enes Kanter added 14 points for the Thunder, who have won seven of eight. Oklahoma City got away with making just 14 of 27 free throws.Al Horford scored 19 points, and Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley each added 18 for the Celtics.The Celtics controlled most of the first half and led 43-39 at halftime. It was Oklahoma Citys lowest-scoring first half of the season.The Celtics led by 13 in the third quarter, but the Thunder whittled their deficit to four by the end of the period.Westbrook made a driving layup with 30.6 seconds left to give the Thunder a 96-94 lead.dddddddddddd Westbrook then won a jump ball with Bradley to start a fast break, and Jerami Grant finished it with a dunk that put Oklahoma City up 98-94 with 14.4 seconds to play.Marcus Smart scored in close for Boston to make it 98-96. Westbrook made the first of two free throws with 5.1 seconds left to leave the door open, but Smarts 3-pointer for the tie bounced away as time expired.I think we just stopped moving the ball, Bradley said. We took some bad shots. We werent able to score the ball. If we continued to play the way we had, we could have made it easier on ourselves.---TIP-INSCeltics: G Isaiah Thomas missed his third straight game with a strained right groin. He averages 26 points per game. ... Smart, who played college ball at Oklahoma State, got his eighth start of the season. He finished with 11 points, nine assists and six rebounds. ... Crowder fouled out.Thunder: Westbrook was issued a technical foul in the second quarter. ... The Thunder missed their first 16 3-pointers and finished 3 for 21. ... Coach Billy Donovan was called for a technical foul midway through the third quarter.INJURY UPDATEThunder guard Victor Oladipo left the game for good after spraining his right wrist on a hard fall with 5.2 seconds left in the first quarter. He leaped to challenge a shot by Jonas Jerebko and fell onto Jerebkos shoulder and back on the way down, causing him to lose control of his landing.STAT LINESAdams has made 15 of 17 field goal attempts and 10 of 14 free throws over the past two games, with averages of 20 points and nine rebounds.UP NEXTThe Celtics visit San Antonio on Wednesday.The Thunder play at Portland on Tuesday.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP. ' ' '