WASHINGTON -- Things were looking bleak for Gael Monfils, a man with a long history of losing tournament finals.Monfils opponent in the Citi Open title match, Ivo Karlovic, was about to serve for the championship and had not been broken all week.Down but not quite out, Monfils came through, breaking Karlovic twice in a span of four service games and erasing a match point while coming back for a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-4 victory Sunday at the Citi Open to earn his first trophy in 2 1/2 years.To be honest, Monfils said, today was pure luck.Well, maybe, but he deserves credit for figuring out a way to do enough to neutralize the big serve of the 6-foot-11 Karlovic, who was trying to become, at age 37, the oldest man since 1973 to win ATP singles tournaments in consecutive weeks.Normally I should have (won). I was better in the first two sets, and I didnt use my opportunity, Karlovic said. And then after that, I was dead. I couldnt move anymore.In the womens final, No. 7-seeded Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium won her fifth WTA singles title, beating 122nd-ranked Lauren Davis of the U.S. 6-4, 6-2. Wickmayer became the third woman to win the singles and doubles championships at the same event in 2016.Monfils, a Frenchman seeded No. 2, had lost 19 of 24 career finals, and 8 of his last 9. But this time he earned $348,200 in prize money for his first title since February 2014 at Montpellier, France, and the most important of his career -- his first at an ATP 500 tournament, which refers to the ranking points the champion collects.He noted that he was proud to join Arthur Ashe and Yannick Noah as winners in the U.S. capital whose names are etched on the blue awnings around the main stadium.Theyve been an inspiration for me, Monfils said. I grew up with those names. Definitely to have my name next to them, its priceless.Didnt look as if hed get that honor.Up until 5-4 in the second set, when Karlovic served for the victory, the 13th-seeded Croatian had won all 53 service games in the hard-court tournament.I still had this little hope. ... `Maybe he will get tight a little bit. And obviously, he got tight a little bit, Monfils said.He converted his seventh break point of the match when Karlovic pushed a forehand volley long. Karlovic put his hands on his hips, knowing hed come so close to ending things right then and there.Karlovic then was a single point from victory at 6-5 in the ensuing tiebreaker, but a 116 mph serve by Monfils produced a backhand return that sailed long. A couple of points later, Monfils owned that set, and he broke again to lead 2-1 in the third.Soon enough, Monfils ended Karlovics eight-match winning streak, which included a title last week on grass at Newport, Rhode Island.Not since 43 years ago, when Ken Rosewall won back-to-back events a month shy of his 39th birthday, has a man older than Karlovic won two ATP titles in a row.Karlovics intimidating serve can take over a match. With the temperature nearing 100 degrees Sunday, it made for even tougher conditions for Monfils to try to deal with those high-bouncing serves.Monfils, who is 29, tried a bit of everything.At the outset, he stood way back to return, to no avail, dropping 18 of the first 19 points Karlovic served (the lone exception was a double-fault).Occasionally, Monfils would shuffle back and forth behind the baseline while awaiting serves.And later, he moved much closer to the baseline while receiving, a tactic that seemed to help.But the real secret to Monfils success might simply have been that Karlovic wore himself out with his net-rushing tactics.At the end, Monfils said, I knew a little bit that its tough to serve-and-volley for 2 hours in the heat.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich Marcus Allen Jersey . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Cheap Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. http://www.cheapchiefsjerseysauthentic.com/ . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys China . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Derrick Thomas Jersey . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The reality of injuries sustained in the NFL can be harsh.When a player like Phillip Gaines suffers a serious injury, theres never a guarantee a spot will still be available upon his return. The Chiefs third-round draft pick out of Rice in 2014 worked into a starting role by the end of his rookie year and reassumed that position last year.A torn ACL suffered in Week 3 during a loss to the Packers ended Gaines season and clouded his future.Gaines left offseason activities as the presumed second starter at cornerback opposite 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters. Gaines and Steve Nelson have split time on the right side with the first team so far in training camp, and Gaines clearly fits into the Chiefs plans.It just feels good to be able to have the opportunity to play, and Im going to try and make the most of it, Gaines said.The Chiefs listed Nelson, a third-round pick out of Oregon State in 2015, as the second starter in the first depth chart released earlier this week.Gaines continues to slowly work back from the knee injury, and Kansas City coach Andy Reid limited his participation in Wednesdays practice, the last one in pads ahead of the preseason opener against Seattle on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. Reid said he would attempt to play everyone on the roster, and the early portion could provide a first look at how the Chiefs deploy the cornerbacks alongside Peters, who grabbed eight interceptions and returned two for touchdowns in his first season.The Chiefs cornerbacks corps took a hit in the offseason when Sean Smith left in free agency for the Oakland Raiders, leaving a starting spot open, with Gaines, Nelson, Marcus Cooper and a trio of rookies looking to earn playing time. None of those seven players has more than three years of experience.Real talented group. Weve just got to come along, Peters said. Thats what camp is for. As camp goes on, everyone gets a lot more comfortable and the speed of the game slows down and you start making your plays. I love the talent. Everyones out here competing.Gaines started his career in Kansas City with a prominent role on special teams. He started five games in 2014 before a concussion and illness ended his season after 13 games.With Smith suspended the first three games of 2015, Gaines earned a starting spot. But his season ended in the game before Smith retturned.ddddddddddddHe has 26 tackles and no interceptions in his first 16 NFL matches.Nelson didnt play much early in 2015, but Gaines injury and other struggles in the secondary helped him get on the field in 12 games. His biggest moment came in a playoff win against the Houston Texans when he briefly subbed for Peters and broke up a pass intended for star wideout DeAndre Hopkins.Coaches have shown a preference to use Gaines in the slot, making him a potential fit as a nickel defender rather than the No. 1 cornerback on the right side.Despite having only eight tackles to his credit, Nelson could quickly move into that starting role, and coaches and teammates like his fiery attitude and emotional style. Nelson has admitted disappointment with not playing more as a rookie, but Reid has confidence he is ready to assume a much larger role.Hes an energy giver, that kid, Reid said. Hes learning all the fundamentals and technique and battling like crazy. He never gives up on a play. Hes got a short memory.Cooper currently has the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Peters. Cooper showed flashes in 2013 with three interceptions, but struggled in 2014 and made just two tackles in 10 games last year.The rookie draft picks sit behind the top four attempting to make their case for a spot in the rotation.KeiVarae Russell (third round, Notre Dame), Eric Murray (fourth round, Minnesota) and D.J. White (sixth round, Georgia Tech) were all taken to add depth at a seemingly thin spot. Currently, Murray and sixth-year veteran defensive back Jamell Fleming, who has played some cornerback the past two years with Kansas City, are listed at safety on the depth chart.Peters, Gaines and Nelson look like the only guaranteed contributors at cornerback, but the depth could be important -- a lesson the Chiefs learned last year while rotating through a multitude of looks.Nothings set in stone until the games here, and from game to game it can change, too, Gaines said. I got hurt last year. At the blink of an eye someone else had to come in. You always have to be mentally prepared to take every rep even if youre not on the field so when you are put in, we just keep it moving.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '
