Post by vive123654 on Feb 24, 2014 1:01:25 GMT -5
PARIS -- Sam Querrey recovered from a humiliating first set to beat second-seeded Novak Djokovic 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday. It was the first time since the Miami Masters in March 2010 that Djokovic has been eliminated so early in a tournament. "During the second set I already felt that physically Im down, and I struggled (in) every game," Djokovic said. "Its unfortunate, but on the brighter side, I have a little bit more time to rest because I had really difficult period in the last couple of weeks. Some things happened and a lot of things on my mind." The Serb entered the court wearing a Darth Vader mask on Halloween, and continued to put on a show by winning the first set in just 21 minutes. "It was a little embarrassing," Querrey said. "But then I got rolling and got more confidence and started serving better and being a little more aggressive." Djokovic then started to waver under the relentless accuracy of the Americans big serve, and made too many unforced errors the rest of the way. Querrey hit 18 aces and converted his second match point when Djokovics return sailed long. Djokovic had already secured the year-end No. 1 ranking after defending champion Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament to rest for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London. After sealing the first set with some extravagant shot-making, everything had pointed to a comfortable win for Djokovic after he broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set. But Querrey found his range, hitting 10 aces during the set. Djokovic played too many loose shots in the tiebreak and Querrey evened the match on his first set point when Djokovics forehand clipped the net and bounced wide. "I was concerned about how long I can keep that level, since physically Im not feeling very good in last couple of days," Djokovic said. "When youre playing somebody that hits, that serves that well in the corners, there is nothing you can do." The match turned in Querreys favour in the fifth game of the deciding set, when he broke for a 3-2 lead with a stinging forehand winner, and held for 4-2 after another sloppy forehand from Djokovic landed in the net. Djokovic battled back and had a great chance to even the set at 4-4, but Querrey saved five break points in the eighth game, three of them aces. "I thought I served amazing, especially the big points. I felt like I made a first serve there every time," Querrey said. "I could see he was struggling a little bit, missing some shots he probably wouldnt normally miss." Querrey will play 14th-seeded Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., in the third round. The hard-serving Canadian had 26 aces in a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3 win against Jeremy Chardy of France. Murray, fourth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain and No. 7 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina won their matches comfortably. Murray saved two break points before clinching the first set when Frances Paul-Henri Mathieu returned his looping second serve into the net. The Briton sealed the win on a double-fault from Mathieu. He next plays Jerzy Janowicz of Poland. "I played him in Davis Cup a few years ago. Hes a huge guy, big serve. Hes having his best year on the tour," Murray said. "It will be a tough match. I mean on courts like this, if he serves big hes going to be a tough guy to break." Del Potro served six aces and broke Alejandro Falla of Colombia three times in each set to win 6-2, 6-2. He next faces Michael Llodra of France. Ferrer beat Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-3 in an all-Spanish match. Ferrer, who is tied with Roger Federer for the most tour titles this year with six, faces 16th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in the third round. Eighth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia also advanced to the third round, beating Dutchman Igor Sijsling 6-4, 7-6 (0), and keeping alive his slim chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals. Ninth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina beat Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (4), 6-2 and still has an outside chance of reaching London. Tipsarevic and Monaco play each other next, but No. 12 Richard Gasquets chances of making it to London have gone after a 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-1 loss to South African Kevin Anderson. There were also wins for 11th-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain, Llodra and Gilles Simon of France. Almagro beat countryman Albert Ramos 7-6 (1), 6-7 (4), 6-3; Llodra downed No. 10 John Isner of the United States 6-4, 7-6 (5), and Simon won 7-5, 6-3 against Victor Hanescu of Romania. Rafael Nadal, who is working his way back from a knee injury, also skipped the tournament. Patrice Bergeron Team Canada Jersey . The Baltimore Ravens reached a tentative agreement Friday on a new deal that would make the Super Bowl MVP the highest-paid player in NFL history. Brenden Morrow Olympic Jersey . Wandy Rodriguez pitched six innings, and three relievers completed a three-hitter to help the unbeaten Dominican Republic top Puerto Rico 2-0 Saturday. www.officialcateamhockeyjersey.com/canada-hockey-sidney-crosby-olympic-jersey/ . Tsonga fired 11 aces and didnt drop a service game in the match to improve his record to four wins in five tour-level matches against his French compatriot. After Tsonga got the decisive break of the first set in the second game, the second set went with serve until the tiebreaker. Wayne Gretzky Olympic Jersey . -- Manu Ginobili talked about wanting to find his rhythm after helping the San Antonio Spurs win yet another road game. Mark Messier Jersey . The superstar forward made the announcement on Tuesday, one day after being suspended three games by the league for a hit to the head of Pittsburghs Zbynek Michalek. DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The only real blemish on Kyle Drabeks pitching performance Friday was a low changeup that Curtis Granderson pulled over the left-field wall in the third inning. The homer gave the New York Yankees a one-run lead. It didnt last long. Major league homer champion Jose Bautista hit his first of the spring in the bottom half and Adam Lind added a two-run shot the next inning as the Toronto Blue Jays rolled to a 10-3 win over a Yankees split squad. Drabek, among five pitchers competing for two spots in the Blue Jays starting rotation, struck four in four innings. He allowed one earned run and three hits. Drabek missed his first scheduled spring start after waking up with a stiff neck and pitched only two innings on March 5. "This felt more like a start than the last one," he said. "The neck pain wasnt there this time. Its really exiting for me. My arm felt great. I was able to keep the ball down." "I tried to make it hard for the coaches, if they wanted to (send) me down, to try to show that I have what it takes to be up here." Blue Jays manager John Farrell said "you see the poise and the mound presence. He didnt try to overthrow it; he didnt come out of his delivery. All those are very good signs." Grandersons home run was his team-high thirrd.dddddddddddd Of his 24 homers in 2010, 17 came in the second half of the season. "He showed (his power) last year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Weve seen it all along." After Grandersons shot leading off the third, Drabek and Blue Jays relievers retired 17 consecutive Yankees. They didnt get another hit until the ninth. The Blue Jays tagged starter Ivan Nova and five relievers for 17 hits, including three by Travis Snider and two apiece by Bautista, Lind and Juan Rivera. Centre fielder Scott Podsednik, troubled with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season by inflammation of his left heel, made his spring debut for the Blue Jays. He walked twice and stole a base. "The foot felt good," he said, about what I expected," Podsednik said. "I wasnt expecting to go out there and be pain free." Farrell said it was "good to see him run the bases aggressively ... to get him out there and draw some attention away from the pitcher with his base-stealing abilities." NOTES: Farrell said left-hander Ricky Romero will be Torontos opening-day starter April 1 at home against Minnesota. ... The Blue Jays returned RHPs Joel Carreno and Alan Farina, LHP Brad Mills and OF Darrin Mastroianni to their minor league camp. ' ' '