04-16-2019, 01:23 AM
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. Basket Under Armour Pas Cher . -- The celebration began with a series of happy hops that propelled Serena Williams across the court. Soon she was twirling, waving, laughing and mugging for the cameras -- a familiar ritual by a perennial champion. Williams won a record seventh Key Biscayne title Saturday when she overcame a slow start and a set point to beat Li Na 7-5, 6-1 at the Sony Open. She surpassed the tournament record of six titles she shared with Andre Agassi. "I was actually super excited at the end," Williams said, "because I remember sitting here last year trying to get to six, thinking, OK, obviously I want seven, but I dont want to put the pressure on myself to get to seven. Obviously I wanted to have the most titles here." The No. 1-ranked Williams looked tense at the outset and served poorly, and she was broken twice to fall behind 5-2. "At that moment I felt like I had nothing to lose," Williams said. "I just was able to relax. Whenever I relax, I enjoy myself." Li held a set point serving at 5-4, but Williams erased it with a backhand winner. Williams needed another 21 minutes to pull out the set. The final game of the set went to deuce six times, but she finally won it with a booming backhand that Li couldnt handle. Williams ran to her chair with a satisfied scream, her left fist leading the way. She dominated from there, sweeping the final five games. The 17-time Grand Slam champion has more titles at Key Biscayne than at any other tournament. Shes the fourth woman in the Open era to win an event at least seven times. "I think were going to have to rename this tournament," former top-five player Mary Joe Fernandez said during the trophy ceremony. Both finalists are 32, and they shared lots of smiles while holding their trophies. Li explained: "We were talking about, For sure before the match they say, "Oh, two old women."" Theyre close in age, but its a commentary on the yawning gap between Williams and the rest of the womens tour that, even while at less than her best, she won in straight sets against the No. 2-ranked player. She made only 44 per cent of her first serves and converted just five of 17 break-point chances. Even so, Williams extended her winning streak against top-10 opponents to 15 matches. She beat Li for the 10th time in a row since 2009. "When youre going up against the top players, for me, I have to be ready because they are the best in the world, the whole planet," Williams said. "I enjoy playing people that are ranked like that, because I feel like I can eventually bring out the best in me." The top-ranked men will meet in Sundays final, when No. 1 Rafael Nadal tries for his first Key Biscayne title against No. 2 Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion. No. 1-ranked Mike and Bob Bryan won the mens doubles title for the first time since 2008 by beating Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 7-6 (8), 6-4. Williams lives 90 minutes up I-95 from Key Biscayne and considers it her home event. She said the fans provided a boost when she fell behind. "It was like, Oh my gosh, if I can just hang in here and just try to enjoy myself," she said. "Honestly the crowd pulled me through. I heard some fans go, Go Serena." Williams has played in the tournament 14 times and also won the final in 2002-04, 2007-08 and 2013. She has celebrated so many titles she couldnt remember the first one. "Who was it against?" she said. "Venus?" Actually, she lost finals to her sister Venus in 1999, and to Victoria Azarenka in 2009. She beat Jennifer Capiati for her first two Key Biscayne titles, and the others came against Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova. Li, who won the Australian Open in January, was at the top of her game for most of the first set. Even so, she couldnt close it out. "Only one mistake: I think I should go party last night," Li said with a smile. Williams committed six unforced errors in the opening game, and it took her 16 minutes to win a game. She double-faulted to fall behind 5-2, but then won 11 of the final 12 games, a surge worthy of a champion. Under Armour Soldes . -- Without Carey Price, the run for a first Stanley Cup in 21 years got steeper and longer for the Montreal Canadiens. Chaussure Under Armour Pas Cher http://www.underarmourpascher.fr/ . However, the intensity and physicality that has characterized the postseason so far has caught Gretzky by surprise. "Its a little bit risqué right now," Gretzky told Philadelphia radio station 97.CLEVELAND -- Justin Masterson found the strike zone after a rocky start and pitched seven scoreless innings as the Cleveland Indians ended Bostons seven-game winning streak, beating the Red Sox 3-2 Monday night. Masterson (3-4) walked four in the first three innings, but settled in and won for the first time in five starts. He allowed just three singles, struck out a season-high 10 and retired 12 of his last 13 batters. Lonnie Chisenhall hit a two-run single in the first off John Lackey (6-4) as the Indians won their fourth straight. Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run homer in the Boston eighth off Bryan Shaw to make it 3-2. Indians left-hander Marc Rzepczynski retired David Ortiz for the final out in the eighth, and Cody Allen worked the ninth for his fourth save. Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew went 0 for 2 with a walk in his season debut. He re-signed with Boston as a free agent last month. Boston outfielder Grady Sizemore was hitless in four at-bats -- he popped up for the final out -- in his return to Cleveland. Sizemore was a three-time All-Star in nearly eight seasons for the Indians. Cleveland improved to an AL-best 19-11 at home. Masterson was two different pitchers against the Red Sox. His wildness had him flirting with danger in the first and third innings, but he managed to pitch around trouble both times. Masterson needed 61 pitches to get the first nine outs, but he struck out the side in the fourth on just nine pitches. Masterson retired eight in a row before Ortiz singled through Clevelands shift in the sixth. Masterson induced A.J. Pierzynski to hit an inning-ending double play for the second time. Its been that kind of season for Masterson, who has struggled with his control and has not pittched like the All-Star ace the Indians are counting on. Under Armour Destockage. Unable to do anything against Masterson, the Red Sox finally got on the board in the eighth when Brock Holt singled with one out and Bogaerts followed with his fourth homer, a shot into the seats in right-centre. Chisenhalls two-out single gave the Indians an early lead. He has eight RBIs during Clevelands winning streak. With runners at second and third, Chisenhall took Lackeys pitch the opposite way, dropping his single just inside the left-field line. The Indians went up 3-0 in the third when Michael Bourn led off with his fifth triple and scored on Asdrubal Cabreras single. Masterson managed to work in and out of a mess he created for himself in the first. The right-hander gave up a single and two walks before striking out Jonny Gomes, who took exception with plate umpire Phil Cuzzis called third strike on a low fastball. In the third, Masterson gave up a one-out single to Dustin Pedroia and walked Ortiz on four pitches before he got Pierzynski to hit into a double play. NOTES: Indians C Carlos Santana, on the seven-day concussion list, took groundballs as he continues working toward a return to the lineup. Manager Terry Francona said Santana, who has been in a hitting slump all season, could be cleared and back on Friday, when the Indians open a series in Texas. ... Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz (sprained left knee) is with the team and threw a bullpen session. He will throw another Wednesday before a simulated game on Saturday. ... With Bostons roster loaded with left-handed hitters, the Indians recalled reliever Nick Hagadone from Columbus. Cleveland entered the series with three lefties: Hagadone, Rzepczynski and Josh Outman. ' ' '