Kritik und Lob » six games (4 starts) versus the Preds.

SINGAPORE - Serena Williams made the semifinals of the WTA Finals and earned the year-end No. 1 ranking without hitting a ball on Friday.Williams fortune was at the expense of Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova. Ivanovic had a shot at reaching the semis, and Sharapova had a slimmer chance at the top ranking. Both won dramatic three-setters, but they needed to win in two, and were eliminated.By the end of the final day of group games, Saturdays semifinals were set: Williams will meet Caroline Wozniacki, and Simona Halep will take on Agnieszka Radwanska.Besides Sharapova and Ivanovic, Petra Kvitova also had her destiny in her own hands and failed to take the opportunity to progress.Sharapova needed to win in straight sets to advance, and had to win the title if she was to topple Williams from the top of the rankings.Sharapova inexplicably collapsed from a set and 5-1 up, missing three match points and losing the second set in a tiebreak to Radwanska. The Russian ultimately prevailed 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2 in over three hours but that was not enough, while Radwanska qualified for the semis despite a 1-2 group-stage record.Radwanska was helped by Wozniacki beating Kvitova 6-2, 6-3. Kvitova would have progressed had she won.Ivanovic had to beat Halep in straight sets to advance and knock out Williams. That looked unlikely when Halep came out to serve for the first set at 5-2, yet Ivanovic won four successive games and saved a set point in the tiebreak to win it 7-6 (7).Ivanovic showed further resilience when she broke to get back on serve at 4-3 in the second set yet Halep won the next two games to take the frame, making the final set only for pride and prizemoney. Ivanovic won 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3.Williams took the year-end top ranking for the fourth time, beside 2002, 2009 and 2013.Since the rankings began in 1975, only five players have held the No. 1 spot at year end four times or more. The others were Steffi Graf (eight times), Martina Navratilova (seven), Chris Evert (five) and Lindsay Davenport (four).Sharapova, the 2004 champion and two-time runner-up, was left to rue a collapse from a dominant position in the second set against Radwanska, who won five straight games. The Russian said she became too hasty as she tried to close out the match.A little impatient, her doing a good job of retrieving balls — that is her strength — and going for a little bit more than I should have, Sharapova said in explaining what went wrong in the second set.I know Im not moving forward but Im proud of that effort, and to finish the year in this way.Wozniacki was already assured of a semifinal berth when she stepped out against Kvitova, while the Czech had to win, yet it was the Danish player who was on top throughout, and finished the group stage as the only player with a perfect 3-0 record.Wozniacki has previously held the No. 1 ranking yet questions have always lingered about her true status as she has never won a Grand Slam tournament or WTA Finals. She has played this week like someone who wants to silence the doubters.I believe in myself and I believe in my skills, Wozniacki said. Ive been playing well, so I believed I could beat anyone.That level of belief may not be quite as high against Williams, with the American boasting a 9-1 head-to-head record, including victory in the U.S. Open final.My matchup against her so far hasnt been great, Wozniacki said. I won once and lost like 10 times, or nine, I dont know. I dont even count anymore.But its a new tournament. Its a new week. Ive been playing well really. Again, I believe that if I play like I did today, doesnt matter whos on the other side. I can win.Haleps defeat against Ivanovic takes only a small amount of the polish off her previous match when she dropped only two games against Williams. The Romanian next meets Radwanska, with the pair having split their two meetings this year, although Halep trails 4-2 overall.She runs a lot on court, and I have to run as well tomorrow, Halep said. I have to be aggressive, very aggressive, because shes an intelligent player, she knows how to open the angles. But I will try everything.Ivanovic finishes the year with the most wins of any player on tour at 58, with four titles.Its mixed emotions because I feel like it was such a great match tonight, yet its such a low not to be able to qualify for the semifinals, Ivanovic said. On a positive note I won two matches, finished the season with a victory. Its been an amazing year for me.Kvitova also exits, but the Wimbledon champion has only a short break. In two weeks she will lead the Czech Republic in the Fed Cup final against Germany. Michael Irvin Youth Jersey . - After sewage backups, toilet overflows and foul smells surfaced the past two years, nothing at the Oakland Coliseum surprises the home team anymore. Connor McGovern Jersey .com) - Former foes from the Mountain West Conference battle in the 23rd annual Las Vegas Bowl, as the 23rd-ranked Utah Utes clash with the Colorado State Rams at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday. https://www.cowboyssportsgoods.com/Womens-Demarcus-Ware-Inverted-Jersey/ . Still, its a start. Josh Baileys goal with 1:40 left capped a furious third-period rally, and the Islanders edged the Penguins 4-3 on Friday night. Bob Lilly Cowboys 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. Bill Bates Jersey . Notes on P.K. Subban, Dale Weise, Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund, Ilya Bryzgalov and more.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia Flyers have gotten off to a great start on their epic eight-game trip and will try to keep that momentum going on Saturday night against their former coach. The Flyers eye a fourth straight victory as they visit Peter Laviolette and the Nashville Predators. Philadelphia scored 16 goals in defeating Toronto, Winnipeg and Minnesota to begin this road trip, which runs through Jan. 3. That has the Flyers on their first three-game winning streak since Nov. 4-8. Theyll try to win four in a row for the first time this season and do so against Laviolette, who was fired as the Flyers head coach following an 0-3 start to the 2013-14 campaign. Laviolette took over coaching duties in Philadelphia in December of 2009 and took the club to a surprising Stanley Cup Finals appearance that season, where they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Laviolette became just the second coach in Predators history when he replaced Barry Trotz, who did not have his contract renewed prior to this season. The Predators come into this game just two points back of the Blackhawks for first place in the Central Division. Craig Berube, who replaced Laviolette when he was fired, saw five of his players score in Tuesdays 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Philadelphia got goals from Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Vincent Lecavalier and Michael Raffl. That fourth goal obviously gave us a little breathing room, said Lecavalier, who has three goals in his past two games. After that we kind of chipped it in and played a simple game and made sure we got it out at the right time. Ray Emery made 22 saves to get the win as No.dddddddddddd 1 goaltender Steve Mason missed his third game in a row with a back injury suffered in practice on Dec. 19. Mason was expected to start traveling with the team after the holiday br4eak, but has been ruled out for this game. That leaves Emery the probable starter and he is 2-2-0 with a 3.57 goals against average and .833 save percentage in six games (4 starts) versus the Preds. Flyers forward Jake Voracek had two assists versus the Wild and leads the NHL with 32 helpers and 46 points. He has five goals and 13 points in his last eight games. The Predators are hoping to rebound tonight after having a three-game win streak halted with Tuesdays 5-3 setback to Boston. Nashville tried to make a game of it late, notching 15 shots in the third period and pulling within one on Taylor Becks goal at the 6:48 mark of the third. We have a group that believes we can win every night even when were down two, we have the mentality that we are going to come out with a win, said Nashville forward Colin Wilson. Its unfortunate we didnt tie it up but we can definitely build off of that character that we showed in the third. Beck and Calle Jarnkrok each had one goal and an assist for Nashville, while Carter Hutton stopped 20-of-24 shots in his first start since Nov. 20. Pekka Rinne figures to return to the net tonight and is 2-1-0 versus the Flyers with a 2.92 GAA and .917 save percentage. These two clubs split a pair of meetings last season, with the Flyers 3-2 shootout win snapping a five-game winless span (0-1-2 with two ties) in Nashville. ' ' '