01-18-2020, 06:30 AM
PARIS -- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is making up for lost time at the age of 22. The Russian looked like a safe bet to become a top 10 player when she cracked the top 50 in 2008 and broke into the top 20 two years later. Since reaching a career-high No. 13 ranking in July 2011, Pavlyuchenkova has struggled to fulfil her potential. She might have put her career back on track by defeating third-seeded Sara Errani of Italy 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 Sunday in the final of the Open GDF Suez for her sixth career title. "Definitely, now I feel more mature," Pavlyuchenkova said. "My mentality is a little bit different. Last year or a few years ago, I would lose here in the first round, for sure." Pavlyuchenkova captured her first title of the season and her first since winning the Portugal Open in May 2013. The unseeded Russian dictated the points, making 48 winners to 18 for Errani. Errani won seven straight games to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the first set and lead 2-0 in the second. But Pavlyuchenkova responded by also winning seven straight games to even the match and lead 1-0 in the third. In the final set, Pavlyuchenkova hit a backhand return winner to break for a 5-3 lead and sealed the victory with a forehand winner. "That was a very mental match," Pavlyuchenkova said. "That gives me a bit of confidence. But I still need to work harder. That was a fantastic week, but I have to keep it going. I hope my level will be a bit more consistent and that I will keep this level." Pavlyuchenkova won all her matches at this tournament in three sets. She was coached for a brief period last year by Martina Hingis before resuming her partnership with her dad, Sergey. "He was my first coach, so he taught me everything Im doing now," Pavlyuchenkova said. "And he was always there for me, even when I had other coaches. He never let me down." Pavlyuchenkova got off to a good start by breaking Errani in the third game. But she made numerous unforced errors to squander that advantage, dropping serve at 3-2 with a wide backhand and at 4-3 with a forehand into the net. Errani hit a backhand drop shot to take the opening set. "I had a lot of emotions going on," Pavlyuchenkova said. "I was just stressing out because I was missing some shots. She was very strong today, so that was frustrating." Errani broke Pavlyuchenkova in the opening game of the second set with a forehand pass. Pavlyuchenkova saved a break point at 2-0 to stay in the match and the momentum suddenly changed. "From 2-0 in the second set, I thought I had a blackout," Errani said. "The ball was heavier. For me, it was difficult. I had some very bad games." Pavlyuchenkova slapped forehand return winners to break serve at 2-1 and 3-2 in the second set before Errani sent a forehand long to lose the set. In the decider, Errani capitalized on a backhand error from Pavlyuchenkova to break for a 2-1 lead. However, Pavlyuchenkova broke back in the sixth game when Erranis backhand sailed long. Pavlyuchenkova has defeated three top 10 players in the same tournament for the first time in her career. She beat Maria Sharapova of Russia in the semifinals and Angelique Kerber of Germany in the quarterfinals. Errani lost in the final of the Paris tournament for the second straight time. Chester Marcol Jersey . Manager Ryan Nelsen has confirmed Brazilian No. 1 Julio Cesar will be rested for Wednesdays first leg of the semifinal. That opens the door for Bendik, who started 33 games for Toronto last season. Bart Starr Jersey .C. -- Unable to get much lift off his sore right ankle, Bobcats centre Al Jefferson figured it was time to make an adjustment. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/custo...2542r.html. The Oilers have been shut out in three straight home games and are in last place in the Western Conference with a 4-14-2 record. "Things have obviously not gone as well as I would have thought probable. Bryan Bulaga Jersey . The seventh-ranked Berdych wants to focus on the ATP Tour after helping the Czechs beat the Netherlands in the first round. Seeking their third straight Davis Cup title, the Czechs will rely again on veteran Radek Stepanek. Tim Boyle Jersey . The Montreal Alouettes announced Tuesday that they have acquired the return specialist from Calgary, as well as the Stampeders fifth-round draft pick in the 2014 CFL Canadian Draft. GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Not many players birdied the tricky final hole at the Wyndham Championship on Saturday. Nick Watney did to top leaderboard. Watney made a 20-foot birdie putt from the right edge of the green on the par-4 18th for a 5-undee 65 and a one-stroke lead. The five-time PGA Tour winner had a 14-under 196 total with only one bogey through three trips around Sedgefield Country Club. "Ive been trying to keep it pretty simple -- a lot of fairways and greens, and Ive been able to do that so far," Watney said. "Im super excited about going into tomorrow with the lead. ... Im looking forward to everything that comes with it, all the emotions and wanting to do well and whatnot. Learning how to handle that is a big thing, and Im looking forward to the challenge." Brad Fritsch, from Ottawa, was second after a 65. Freddie Jacobson and second-round co-leader Heath Slocum were 12 under. Jacobson shot a 66, and Slocum had a 68. Former Wyndham winners Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson joined second-round co-leader Scott Langley at 11 under in the final event of the PGA Tours regular season. Snedeker and Simpson shot 66, and Langley had a 69. Fritsch was the first to 13 under, but Watney joined him with a birdie on the par-5 15th -- his second of the week on that hole. Then came the sequence that gave him sole possession of the lead, and it came on the second-toughest hole of the day. Watney plopped his fairway shot from 180 yards onto the right edge of the green, then calmly rolled in his putt for just the fifth birdie of the day on 18. "Its a hard hole as it is, and they put the pin on that back right little knob," Watney said. "Its a bonus and Im very happy with it." That put him in great position for his second top-10 finish of the year and his first victory since he won The Barclays in 2012. Fritsch -- a Canadian who played college golf at Campbell and lives in the Raleigh suburb of Holly Springs -- said he asked the officials at the first tee to announce him as a North Carolinian. "Just so people would know (and) get a little focus off Webb and a little onto me," Fritsch said with a laugh. He made it to 13 under when he birdied the par-3 16th after placing his tee shot about 15 feet from the flagstick.dddddddddddd Fritsch, who is playing his second full season on the PGA Tour, put himself in position to challenge for his first victory on tour and his third top-10 finish. Hes also got a shot at making the post-season after arriving at Sedgefield at No. 163. The top 125 qualify for The Barclays next week in New Jersey. He came to this tournament last year at No. 128 last year but missed the cut -- and the playoffs. "Cant tell you specifically what I found," Fritsch said. "Staying patient and not freaking out over a bogey, not freaking out over a missed fairway and not getting too aggressive -- I think just that, really." Andres Romero had the days best round, a 64, and Kevin Foley and David Toms each had holes-in-one. Foley aced the par-3 12th with a 5-iron a few minutes before Toms did it on the par-3 seventh. But so far, the story at Sedgefield has been its tight leaderboard. Thirteen players were within three strokes of the lead. "I assume that when I tee off, I probably wont be in the lead or tied for the lead," Watney said. "So its not like Im protecting anything tomorrow. Just more (of) the same." When the second-round co-leaders finally teed off midway through the afternoon, four other players had already joined them atop the field at 10 under. And by the time the Slocum-Langley pairing had finished its 10th hole, there were five players -- including those two -- sharing the lead at 12 under. That didnt even include Jacobson, who began the day two strokes behind the leaders but made a short, quick rise to 12 under with four straight birdies on his front nine. He fell back with a bogey on the 11th. One by one, most of them slipped back with back-nine bogeys: Martin Laird had one on the 12th and another four holes later, Slocum followed suit on 11, Langley had one on the 15th and Snedeker had his only bogey of the day on 18. "You never like being two back with 10 other guys," Snedeker said. "You know what youre going to have to do. You have to go out there and shoot good tomorrow. The great mentality, go out there and be aggressive and dont hold back. Give it everything youve got." ' ' '