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Wright in giving Jake Locker plenty of options by kaisy kaisy
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Wright in giving Jake Locker plenty of options |
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PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Lucie Safarova covered her face in disbelief, and the party was on. Clyde Drexler Rockets Jersey. The Czech Republics Fed Cup team danced on the court. The players and coaches formed a scrum. They hoisted the trophy and paraded their flag. And the home crowd was with them every step of the way. The Czechs won their second straight Fed Cup on Sunday when Safarova routed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-1, 6-1. "Its hard to describe how I feel. I played an unbelievable game," Safarova said. "I desperately wanted to win and Im really delighted. Its fantastic to win at home, in Prague. I played one of the best matches of my career." Safarova won the second reverse singles for an unassailable 3-1 lead in the final of the best-of-five series, eliminating the need to play the last doubles match. Jankovic, a former No. 1 player, was slowed by a back injury and was in tears afterward. The winning point came on Safarovas forehand on her second match point on the hard court at O2 Arena. As the Czech players broke out their dance moves, the ecstatic, sell-out crowd celebrated with the wave. "Lucie needs to bottle this feeling and play like this at regular tournaments! A hero is born," tweeted Martina Navratilova, who won the Fed Cup with Czechoslovakia and later the United States. The Czechs are the third country in a row to successfully defend the Fed Cup title. Russia won the top prize in womens team tennis in 2007-08 and Italy 2009-10. The Czechs took a 2-0 lead after the opening singles Saturday, but Ana Ivanovic made it 2-1 Sunday by beating Petra Kvitova 6-3, 7-5. It was the first loss for Kvitova after 11 straight Fed Cup singles wins. The 17th-ranked Safarova saved two break points before racing to a 4-0 lead in the first set, and broke Jankovic twice in the second to open a 5-1 advantage. Jankovic was treated between sets for a back injury. "Im really very sorry for my team that I wasnt able to be at 100 per cent today," Jankovic said, unable to hold back tears. "I tried my best on the court but it wasnt good enough. I wasnt able to move properly. Throughout the match, it was getting worse and worse." In the first reverse singles, Ivanovic defeated Kvitova, who recovered just in time from the bronchitis that forced her to withdraw from last weeks WTA Championships. The Czechs won their first title last year since Czechoslovakias split in 1993. Czechoslovakia won five times, including three straight from 1983-85. "I dont feel like a hero," Safarova said. "Its a team competition. We all contributed." Despite the loss, Serbia has enjoyed its best Fed Cup season as an independent nation. It recorded its first victories in the World Group with away wins over Belgium and Russia to reach its first final. Omer Asik Premier Jersey. Hightower, who was returning from knee surgery, was one of 23 players trimmed from the roster as the Redskins head into the regular season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. Hakeem Olajuwon Premier Jersey. The U.S. ski federation said Monday that it had not had a "formal discussion" about the possibility of its star racer challenging the men Nov. 24 in Lake Louise, Alta. Vonn, the womens Olympic downhill champion, has written the International Ski Federation to ask whether she can make the historic start at a venue where she has earned nine of her 26 World Cup downhill victories. http://www.officialrocketsteamshop.com/. Appel was the only unsigned player among 31 first-round picks, turning down an offer of $3.8 million from the Pirates. Projected by some to be the No. 1 selection, some teams shied away from the right-hander because of the expected demands of his adviser, Scott Boras. Omer Asik Jersey. Manager Manny Acta said Saturday that Santana would probably wind up there because of a mild concussion. Chandler Parsons Jersey. Cutler and Marshall looked sharp from the start, and the Chicago Bears beat Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins 33-31 in a preseason game on Saturday night. NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Titans have removed receiver Kenny Britt from the physically unable to perform list, though he will not play Thursday night in the teams preseason finale against New Orleans. Coach Mike Munchak said after practice Tuesday they were close to activating Britt, and the team announced that the receiver had passed his physical and would be activated hours later just as the coachs weekly radio show began. Britt will join the active roster Wednesday, allowing him to take part in any practice or session the Titans might have before Thursday night. Now the question is when the NFL will announce whether or not Britt will be punished for his eighth incident involving police since being drafted in 2009. Britt was charged with driving under the influence July 20 when he tried to drive onto the Fort Campbell Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee border, and he met with NFL officials Aug. 6 in New York. Munchak called the wait for a decision frustrating earlier Tuesday, comparing it to Chris Johnsons holdout a year ago. "Its aggravating I guess that you dont know all the pieces, and it changes so much with injjuries one week to the next also," Munchak said. Jeremy Lin Premier Jersey. "I think this will all come together here real soon. As you know, the final roster comes together on Friday and Saturday. That will be a busy weekend just kind of piecing it all back together. By then, well have a lot of answers to the questions weve been wondering about." Britt, the teams top draft pick in 2009 out of Rutgers, has been recovering from his third knee surgery since tearing his right ACL last September. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in late June, but he had been working harder each day over the past week. The Titans (No. 21 in the AP Pro 32) open the season Sept. 9 at home against the New England Patriots (No. 2), and they lost receiver Marc Mariani for the season when he broke both bones in his lower left leg last week against Arizona. Munchak has said they would like to see if Britt could play 12-15 snaps against the Patriots. If Britt is available for the opener, he would join Nate Washington, Damian Williams and rookie Kendall Wright in giving Jake Locker plenty of options at receiver. ' ' '
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