The WTA Finals have become a tournament crying out for a heroine after Serena Williams pulled out. After four days, the call has been answered by perhaps the last person anyone might have predicted -- 31-year-old Svetlana Kuznetsova.On Wednesday in Singapore, Kuznetsova played the lead role in an epic that rivaled her dramatic three-set win two days earlier against Agnieszka Radwanska. Kuznetsova outlasted US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova in another agonizingly close tug-of-war lasting 2 hours, 17 minutes, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6). Just as importantly, she has so enthralled and energized the crowd, that anyone planning to ask for a ticket refund because of Williams absence probably decided to hang on to those seats.As long as I got here at the last moment, I decided I wouldnt let myself -- or anybody else -- down, Kuznetsova told the on-court interviewer as the crowd unleashed another roar of approval following her last win.Kuznetsova came to these championships like a guest mistakenly showing up at a dinner party to which she wasnt invited, featuring people who arent exactly her crowd. But coming out of nowhere is Kuznetsovas default mode of arrival. Thats how she won singles trophies at the French and US Opens. It also helps explain why Kuznetsova has never been to the the semifinals of the WTA Finals before. Consistency and surprise are incompatible.Beyond that, Kuznetsova has always been something of a misfit on the tour. Her family is athletic royalty in Russia (brother Nikolay was an Olympic silver medalist in cycling), but her talent has always been bundled in a sensitive, introspective sensibility. To some, Kuznetsova is a textbook example of the proverbial soulful Russian, winning major events to take a place among the worlds tennis elite while sustaining a love-hate relationship with the sport.Kuznetsova qualified for these championships with a desperate, late-season push. She was obliged to win the Kremlin Cup (where she was defending champ) during the final week of the regular WTA Tour season in order to displace Johanna Konta at No. 8. Kuznetsova arrived in Singapore the day after she won in Moscow, and barely 24 hours before, she would play her first round-robin match. She was jet-lagged and in a group that included talented, highly touted youngsters Madison Keys, Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza.Whats easily forgotten, though, is that Kuznetsova is one of those people who will always surprise you. When inspiration strikes, she sloughs off the negativity that sometimes haunts her and is nothing less than brilliant. When inspiration strikes, she is capable of anything. That includes taking scissors to her own hair during a changeover, as the Singapore crowd witnessed Monday.Irritated by the way her French braid lashed her eyes and face every time she hit a forehand, Kuznetsova asked the umpire to have scissors delivered and then proceeded to cut off a few inches of her braid. Either she isnt familiar with the biblical tale of Samson, or she just figured its a guy thing.It was bothering me a lot, she told the press later. When I was hitting the forehands, I hit a good shot and it would hit my eyes. I thought, Whats more important? My hair, which can grow, or the match?How do you argue with that logic? Moreover, it was classic Kuznetsova, in that she was at the very end of the line when they handed out vanity.Few imagined that Kuznetsova could rebound from that debilitating, 2-hour, 48-minutes effort against Radwanska. But she produced another gem of consistent ball-striking and unrivaled court coverage. Theres isnt a quicker, more mobile player on the WTA Tour. What a point guard she would make.After Kuznetsova advanced, the emcee asked her where her extraordinary stamina and energy came from. From my heart, she replied. Something changed this year. I enjoy my game, and I enjoy the crowd.Once again, Kuznetsova is showing up where shes least expected. On this occasion, shes certainly welcomed. Wholesale Custom Devils Shirts . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Ken Daneyko Jersey Large . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. http://www.customdevilsjersey.com/ . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. Ken Daneyko Jersey Large . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Wholesale Custom Devils Shirts . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. NEW YORK -- The Los Angeles Clippers are halfway through a six-game road trip covering approximately 6,133 miles.The first stop went well but the last two stops turned into nightmares for the Clippers.The Brooklyn Nets can only hope two straight losses constitute a nightmare these days.The Clippers continue their road trip Tuesday night and look to rebound from two double-digit losses when they face the Nets, who are dealing with an unsightly seven-game losing streak.Los Angeles flew 1,240 miles to Dallas and improved to 14-2 by shooting 50.6 percent in a 20-point victory Wednesday. Then the Clippers flew 1,000 miles to Detroit, trailed by 12 after the first quarter and lost by 11 on Friday.Following the loss to the Pistons, Los Angeles flew 240 miles to Indiana and once the Clippers took the court, things went even worse in a 91-70 loss to the Pacers. Los Angeles shot 31.4 percent, committed 20 turnovers and was outrebounded by 12.The Clippers were held to 70 points or fewer for the first time since an 86-67 loss at Utah on Dec. 5, 2003. Los Angeles committed 20 turnovers for the only the 10th time since Doc Rivers took the coaching job in 2013 and the Clippers were held to their lowest shooting percentage since a 31.3 percent showing Feb. 27, 2008 vs. Portland.We dont turn the ball over, but we did tonight. Rivers said. Its one of those nights. I just thought the turnovers changed the game early. They had 20 more shots than us at halftime, and we didnt seem very confident. I thought we settled the entire night offensively.Rivers may be right.His team was outscored 42-16 in the paint and were 15-of-50 on shots classified as jumpers.Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Chris Paul and J.J. Reddick were a combined 4-of-18 from the floor.This was just all bad, Paul said. We shot it bad. Our defense was bad. I think I had four turnovers in the first quarter. ...So this was just a bad game for us. But dont take anything away from Indiaana.dddddddddddd They beat us.Now the Clippers will travel 648 miles to oppose a team that has been bleeding for the last two weeks.The Nets were 4-5 when they took the court against the Clippers on Nov. 14. They were blitzed 127-95 and have continued losing, with six of those defeats coming by double-digits.The latest setback was a 122-105 decision to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. The Nets had a one-point lead at halftime but again struggled in the third quarter.Brooklyn was outscored 34-18 in the third quarter and in this skid teams are outscoring the Nets by a 222-150 margin. In those quarters, the Nets have shot 37.4 percent (55-of-147) while allowing opponents to shoot 53.3 percent (80-of-150).Were just getting outplayed and outworked, thats it, said center Brook Lopez, who has scored 25 points and shot 40 percent in third quarters during this skid.The latest third quarter was so ineffective for the Nets that DeMarcus Cousins had the same amount of points as Brooklyn. It resulted in a 15-point deficit and in their last seven games, the average deficit for the Nets has been 18 points entering the fourth quarter.We have to fix the third quarter blues, Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. For some reason we dont come out with the requisite energy that we need.Sean Kilpatrick led the Nets with 22 points and was fouled hard by Matt Barnes. The flagrant foul resulted in Barnes ejection and briefly got the Nets to within single digits.At the end of the day, if were going to win in this league, weve got to come out with some type of edge, Kilpatrick said. If it takes something like that for us to have some type of edge, then its not good.Los Angeles is 6-2 in the last eight meetings with the Nets. Griffin scored 20 points in the Clippers blowout home win on Nov. 14 and had 21 in a 105-100 win in Brooklyn on Dec. 12 of last year. ' ' '
