Kritik und Lob » a therapist heating small glass cups, then placing them

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Madison Keys closed in on an Olympic tennis medal by reaching the womens singles semifinals Thursday, then scampered from Court 1 to Court 4.She wanted to make sure she would get there in time to sit in the stands and cheer for U.S. teammate Steve Johnson during the closing minutes of a victory that put him in the mens quarterfinals.Shortly after that, Johnson and Keys sought each other out in the interview area to share smiles and an enthusiastic high-five. A Rio de Janeiro Games tournament that began inauspiciously for the Americans was suddenly looking a lot better Thursday.The No. 7-seeded Keys power-based game overwhelmed Daria Katsatkina of Russia 6-3, 6-1 in a mere 53 minutes, thanks in large part to a 30-4 edge in winners. Earn one more victory -- either in the semifinals against No. 2 Angelique Kerber of Germany, or in the bronze match -- and Keys will head back home with a medal.The first thing I did was say, `Yes, I won! Keys said. And then I was like, `Whats Stevies score?Johnson, a four-time NCAA team champion and two-time individual winner for Southern California, had a similarly easy time of things against Evgeny Donskoy of Russia, winning 6-1, 6-1.Johnson said he noticed Keys supporting him at courtside over the final couple of games.When were at the Grand Slams, its tough for us to go out and watch just because its so busy and whatnot. Im always rooting for the Americans to do well, regardless of who they are, he said. To see her doing well here, hopefully shes going to get one more and get to the final and do some damage.Next for Johnson comes a far more daunting task: He will play No. 2 Andy Murray, the defending Olympic gold medalist and a three-time Grand Slam champion with a semifinal berth on the line.Theyve met only once before, with Murray winning in straight sets last year.Any given day, you can beat anybody, said Johnson, who is seeded 12th. So Ill go out there with a different gameplan and the right mindset.Johnson also still is in the running for a medal in mens doubles.He and partner Jack Sock lost 6-3, 7-5 to Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau of Romania in the semifinals, but can head home with a bronze if they beat Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil of Canada.Sock is part of one of two mixed doubles teams that could earn a medal for the United States, too.He and Bethanie Mattek-Sands reached the quarterfinals of that 16-team event, and so did Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram, by winning in the first round Thursday. Mattek-Sands and Sock defeated Johanna Konta and Jamie Murray of Britain 6-4, 6-3, while Williams and Ram got past the Dutch pair of Kiki Bertens and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 10-8.Williams lost in the first round of singles and womens doubles in Rio. Her sister Serena, the defending champion in both of those events, exited in the third round of singles.What can you do, except come back and play again? Williams said.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich Isaiah Rider Jersey . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. Jamal Crawford Jersey . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/210j-derrick-williams-jersey-timberwolves.html . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Kevin Love Jersey . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Sam Mitchell Jersey . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. RIO DE JANEIRO -- After the American mens 4x100-meter relay team won gold, Michael Phelps reached down to help anchorman Nathan Adrian out of the pool.While he did it, millions of Americans watching at home saw several purple dots on his back and shoulder.Some kind of new tattoo? Did he take a nap on a bed of tennis balls?No, the circles are the result of cupping, a therapy technique that athletes use to help their muscles recover and perform at their best. It involves a therapist heating small glass cups, then placing them on the skin and pulling them from the body to loosen and relax the muscles.Some experts aare skeptical of the treatments effectiveness, but Phelps has been using it regularly for a while.dddddddddddd And the 31-year-old, swimming in his fifth Olympics, delivered on Sunday night.With infant son Boomer watching from the second deck, the American superstar summoned a performance for the ages to propel Team USA to gold -- the 19th of Phelps career.---Get more behind-the-scenes Olympics news from The Associated Press Inside the Games at http://summergames.ap.org/insidethegames ' ' '