NEW YORK -- American qualifier Taylor Townsend nearly inaugurated the new Grandstand Stadium with an upset.The 20-year-old Townsend split the first two sets with two-time U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki in front of a near-capacity crowd of 8,000 in the new digs at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.With fans huddled in the shade of the west side awning on a 91-degree day and chanting her name, the 146th-ranked Townsend took a 4-3 lead in the third set with her solid lefty groundstrokes and slice backhands. But Wozniacki won the next three games, breaking Townsend for a 5-4 lead before serving out the 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 match.I could taste it, I was so close, said Townsend, who trains in the heat in Atlanta.Townsend turned around a 3-1 deficit in the first set to the delight of the crowd. Wozniacki took control early in the second set for a 3-0 lead. In the third, Townsend had several ill-advised drop shots, but she won a 29-shot rally for 30-30 and the game when Wozniacki stopped play to challenge a shot she thought was out.But the replay showed Townsends ball was in, and she took a 4-3 lead.It was a confidence-builder, because I know that for someone like her, she just thrives on rallies like that, Townsend said of Wozniacki, who ran the 2014 New York City Marathon. It proves something to me, that I can hang in rallies like that.The heat advisory was in effect, but neither player used the allowed break. Wozniacki went to the ice towel a few times just to stay cool.Wozniacki has slipped to No. 74 in the rankings after missing two months because of an injured ankle. She recently entered the Connecticut Open as a wild card and lost in the first round of a tournament shes won four times.At this point, Im just happy when Im healthy, she said. Thats been my focus this year, to try and get back to healthy and 100 percent body-wise. Its been a struggle, but I feel like Im there now.Wozniacki lives in New York part-time and has the comforts of home during the final major of the year.It just feels so good to be able to stay at home and cook and have chilled nights, she said.Townsend, who has a 34-16 singles record, won her qualifying matches last week to get into the main field at the U.S. Open. She was really happy to play the first match on the new court.I didnt realize how big it was until people started to come in and it started to get a little more packed, Townsend said. People started cheering. I was in awe. Its such a beautiful stadium.While Townsend reached the third round of the French Open in 2014 -- her best finish at a major -- shes content to learn from this experience on a big stage.I cant really beat myself up too much, Townsend said. Moments like these where I have played and left my heart out there -- and I know I could have done things better -- it just drives me more to want to get out on the court and fix it, just try and do better. Denyi Reyes Jersey . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Josh Taylor Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. https://www.cheapredsox.com/2451z-chris-owings-jersey-red-sox.html . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Darwinzon Hernandez Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. Babe Ruth Jersey . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Poor Lewis Hamilton. Its one thing to lose what looks like being a guaranteed race win when you have yourself to blame -- making a mistake and putting it in the wall, or colliding with a backmarker when blue flag frustration becomes too much to bear -- and another thing entirely when your loss looks to have been an act of god.Mechanical failures are the worst way to retire, feeling as though the wheel of fortune has spun you from top to bottom so rapidly that theres nothing left but the twin senses of injustice and despair, and perhaps a little nausea on the side.When reports of Hamiltons post-race statements in the TV pen began to filter into the press room -- someone doesnt want me to win -- the initial assumption was that the Mercedes driver was referring to some form of celestial power, be it god, the universe, or karma.But once the full selection of quotes had been transcribed, it rather looked as though Hamilton was pointing the figure not at the big guy upstairs, but at nefarious forces within his own team. He may not have used the word himself, but the implication was more sabotage than it was shoddy luck.My questions are to Mercedes -- we have lost so many engines, Hamilton told the BBC immediately after the race. There are eight drivers and mine are the only ones who has failed. Someone has to give me some answers and it is not acceptable. Something or someone doesnt want me to win this year.Its a brand new engine, he added. Ive done one race with it. I did P3 with it, qualifying, its a brand new engine from the three that I had. Its just odd. Theres been like 43 engines from Mercedes [this season] and only mine have gone.But an hour or so later, having had time to reflect, Hamilton told his open print media session that his comments referred not to the team, but to some form of higher power or celestial being.It feels right now that the man above, or a higher power is intervening a little bit but I feel like Ive been blessed with so many big opportunities, firstly being here with all these people around here, the opportunity in this great team winning the last two championships. Lots and lots of big trophies and recordss that Im breaking time and time [again].dddddddddddd..While Lewis can hardly be blamed for feeling himself to be a victim of a string of reliability issues that have plagued car #44 -- and only #44 -- since the start of the season, it is unfortunate that the Briton felt the need to make comments that appeared to ask questions of his own team (and the associated Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, based in Brixworth). Fomenting discontent within the ranks -- even unwittingly, and even in the passionate heat of 25 points lost -- rarely does anyone any favours.That this latest failure came at a race which would have seen Hamilton equal Nico Rosberg in the championship standings will have been a real kick in the teeth. That it took place at a grand prix paid for by Mercedes team sponsor Petronas wont have helped matters either. And the fact that when Hamilton drew his stricken car to a stop it was on the very part of the track painted with Petronas branding will have been good news only for the right place, right time snappers now able to command high prices for their photos of the incident.Toto Wolff burying his head in his hands on the global television feed says it all about the feeling in the Mercedes garage on Sunday afternoon. This could have been the weekend in which Mercedes sewed up the constructors championship, and now that most profitable of moments will be delayed by at least one more race weekend. The fact that the WCC is essentially inevitable -- and has been since what feels like the dawn of time -- hardly helps.Following Hamiltons understandable yet undesirable outburst, Mercedes will head to Suzuka with a sense of discomfort within the ranks. Winning races and titles is very much a team effort, and despite the praise Hamilton heaped on his own race crew, the very fact that one of the teams drivers is publicly asking questions that imply (at best) bias and (at worst) outright sabotage is only going to lower morale in a team that should be celebrating their most dominant season yet. ' ' '
