run didnt end with a trip to the Super Bowl from corse178's blog
LONDON -- She strode to the net with a clenched fist and a dazzling smile and, after politely shaking hands with yet another opponent, Venus Williams began to giggle like a 12-year-old. Sean Harlow Womens Jersey .As she waved to the appreciative patrons of Court No. 1, she couldnt stop.At the age of 36, Venus remains a phenomenon, defying gravity, not to mention all the conventional laws of physics.On Tuesday, she handled another younger opponent, unseeding 28-year-old Yaroslava Shvedova 7-6 (5), 6-2 to advance to the semifinals at the All England Club.Oh, wow, Venus said in her off-the-court interview with the BBC. Somehow, I walked out of that with the [first] set. When you can walk to the net as a winner, thats the goal, thats the dream.Against great odds, Venus continues to live that dream.Next up: No. 4 Angelique Kerber, a straight-sets winner over No. 5 Simona Halep 7-5, 7-6 (2).It is not too early to start imagining a fifth Serena-Venus Wimbledon final -- the first, incredibly, came 14 years ago.Putting Venus success this fortnight into a proper context is becoming an increasingly difficult proposition.No, she shouldnt be doing this, said Mary Joe Fernandez, the U.S. Fed Cup captain and the U.S. Olympic team coach in Rio de Janeiro. Its ridiculous, crazy good.Shes incredibly resilient. She has a great attitude, and its put her in position to compete here.Venus is the No. 8-ranked player in the world, which is even more impressive when you consider shes dealing with Sjogrens syndrome, a chronic condition that causes aching joints and bouts of low energy.Here, in her 19th Wimbledon, she tied the Open era record with 71 Grand Slam appearances. And then she became the oldest woman to advance to a major quarterfinal in 22 years, when Martina Navratilova made the final at the age of 37.Wimbledon, of course, has been Venus signature event. Her unparalleled movement and power landed her in eight finals in the span of a decade. Hard to believe that it was 16 years ago when she beat Lindsay Davenport in the 2000 championship match.The last one was in 2009, when Venus lost to Serena. Lately, it has been more difficult here; this was Venus first Wimbledon quarterfinal in six years.Yeah, semifinals feels good, Venus said. But it doesnt feel foreign at all, lets put it that way. ...?Yeah, the road was six years. They go by fast thankfully. But Ive been blessed, been really blessed, to have an opportunity to be here, have had an opportunity in the past to do this. I dont have any regrets about anything thats taken place in between. Its been a journey, but its made me stronger.Fernandez compared Venus, circa 2000, to the present player.Her movement was unbelievable, said Fernandez, also an ESPN analyst. She doesnt have that any more. But today, she makes the most out of what shes still got: power, her great play at net and her long reach.Its just that now every match is an odyssey -- you just dont know. Sometimes depends on how she feels when she wakes up that day.There were times Tuesday when Venus looked her age. She was in position most of the time, but balls that were clearing the net in her earlier matches here sometimes found the net.With the score 2-all in the first-set tiebreaker, Venus hit a vintage approach shot, got a high ball at net -- and clunked an easy winner into the net, then promptly fell down. Shvedova raced off to a 5-2 lead and the set seemed lost. And then Venus won the last five points to take the extra session.In reality, Shvedova lost it; she made five errors, four on the forehand side, to give Williams the first set.She settled in quickly and calmly to break Shvedova in the third and fifth games to secure the second set.Chris Evert was 34 when she made the semifinals here in 1989. She retired later that year after the US Open.Its been inspiring and impressive that shes still here, still in the game, Evert said. Thats more impressive to me than the fact shes in the quarters. Shes enjoying it, winning matches. She doesnt have to be No. 1 to be happy.She keeps coming back and back again.Ah, but will she come back next year??Retiring is the easy way out, Williams said. I dont have time for easy. Tennis is just hard.On the first day of the fortnight, she described this infinity inside you that feels like it could go on forever.On Tuesday, she explained why.I love playing the game, Venus said afterward. I always have. Of course, winning matches makes it much sweeter. The wins and the losses always lead to these big moments, unless youre Serena Williams.Meaning that Serena doesnt experience the downs that mere mortals do.But as Venus Williams, Venus said, this is an awesome day. Duke Riley Womens Jersey . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Takkarist McKinley Womens Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team.http://www.thefaclonsshoponline.com/Sean-Harlow-Falcons-Jersey/ . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. MANKATO, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings have an evening practice Saturday night, so Adrian Peterson will be otherwise occupied when one of his former teammates is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But Peterson was on Brett Favres invitation list.Peterson, who played with Favre during Favres last two seasons, said it was pretty cool for Favre to invite him to the ceremonies in Canton. Peterson said he owes some of his passionate playing style to Favre, whom he watched growing up, and said Favre is one of the few players he has ever asked for an autograph.I can always say I played with him, Peterson said. That right there is satisfying to me.Favre had the best statistical season of his career in his first year with the Vikings, throwing 33 touchdown passes against seven interceptions while leading the team to the brink of the Super Bowl in the 2009 season. He turned 40 that season, but his arm strength was still second to none.He threw the only ball Ive heard whistle when it goes by my helmet, Peterson said. To still be able to throw the ball with that much power was incredible to me.The Vikings overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game cost the team its first trip to the Super Bowl in 33 years, and the team went 6-10 in Favres tumultuous second season in Minnesota. Duke Riley Falcons Jersey. But although the run didnt end with a trip to the Super Bowl, Peterson said hell never forget it.Initially it was like, Wow, its Brett Favre, he said. To have a locker right next to him, that was pretty special. It was a great experience, one Ill always remember and cherish.On Wednesday, Peterson practiced for the first time during training camp after nursing a slight hamstring strain. He was still used lightly in team drills and said he wont play in the Vikings first preseason game next Friday in Cincinnati. If he were to play in the preseason, hed likely do so toward the end of the exhibition schedule, perhaps in the Vikings third preseason game as they open up U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 28.The teams joint practices against the Bengals next week could also provide Peterson a chance to get some better competition without being tackled.I went out today, and I felt pretty good, Peterson said. I was able to open up some. Ill continue to approach it that way until I feel like Im able to open it up all the way. Obviously, Im not playing in the first preseason game, so well see what happens. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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