Serena in Rare Major Defeat

After 18 straight wins at a major tournament, 10-time Grand Slam champ Serena Williams was ousted from the French Open Wednesday, getting upset 7-6 (3), 5-7, 7-5 by Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. “Honestly, I think I lost because of me and not because of anything she did,” said Williams, careful not to give too much praise to her opponent. “I had an opportunity, and I got really tight, and I pretty much gave it to her. It was like, ‘Here. Do you want to go to the semis? Because I don’t.’ She was like, ‘OK.”‘ The second-seeded Williams is at least partially correct. She outright blew her 3-1 lead in the third set, looking as if her energy was sapped as she came up short too often down the stretch. The Russian, on the other hand, appeared to gain confidence with every misstep by her opponent. Kuznetsova, the seventh seed, moves on in the semifinals to play No. 30 Samantha Stosur of Australia, who defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-1, 6-3.
Eagles Westbrook to Undergo Surgery
The Philadelphia Eagles front office is looking like a pack of geniuses, having drafted high for a running back despite having workhorse Brian Westbrook in the backfield. That’s because the speedy Pro Bowl ball carrier is headed under the surgeon’s knife Friday morning for a troublesome high ankle sprain he suffered last year. The Eagles organization is using a million-dollar word to describe the procedure – “a debridement” of the ankle – but it still comes down to one simple fact: The team knew it was time to invest in an insurance policy if it plans to go beyond last year’s early elimination from the playoffs. That policy is running back LeSean McCoy, who the Birds drafted in the second round in April. Westbrook, who had 936 yards rushing, 402 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns last season, also underwent minor knee surgery after the Eagles were booted from the 2009 NFC championship game by the Arizona Cardinals. Westbrook turns 30 on Sept. 2.

Three-time Australian Open champ Serena Williams fought off the blazing sun and a powerful early surge by Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova to advance to the semifinal round. Williams struggled early on as the sun scorched the court, but a 10-minute delay, at which time the roof was closed to shut out the 107-degree heat, was all she needed to rejuvenate and take the quarterfinals 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. “I was in like an out-of-body experience,” Williams said of the heat. “I was in a lot of trouble. I just relaxed. I just wanted to fight and at least play three sets.” Her victory shattered the prospect of an all-Russian party at the semis. “Me against the Russians, I guess,” she said following the match. Her next opponent is Elena Dementieva, a gold medalist who whipped Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-2 in Wednesday’s earlier match. “I just have to keep playing well and just go for two more,” said Williams, who won the Australian title in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Serena Still Hanging in Australian Open Three-time Australian Open champ Serena Williams has advanced to  face No. 8-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the quarterfinals after he opponent withdrew Sunday after an apparent battle with heatstroke. Victoria Azarenka, the 19-year-old from Belarus, started the match strong, defeating the normally powerful Williams 6-3 in the first set. “I feel so bad; she was playing so well,” Williams said in a brief interview with Australian television. “She can’t risk it, so I hope she did the right thing. She’s obviously playing really well and has so many other Australian Opens out there for her.” Azarenka began to cry, covered her face with her left hand as she walked toward the net and retired from the match. Williams was there to meet her as the crowd cheered supportively. Azarenka was then helped off court, still distraught, by two officials. No details of her condition were immediately available, although the tournament director, Craig Tiley, said that she had been ill the night before.

It’s a Philly Affair in Memphis Former 76ers guard Lionel Hollins, who took over as head coach of the Grizzlies after replacing another former Sixer Marc Ivaroni, attempted to have two other former Philadelphia Sixers join him on the bench as coaches: Johnny Davis, a former Sixers coach, and Maurice Cheeks who was Hollins backcourt mate back in the day and the most recently fired Sixer head coach. Initially, Cheeks indicated that he would join Hollins, but he recently declined the offer. “But he decided he wanted a little more time to himself,” Hollins said. “I certainly understand that. He’ll have opportunities later.” The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Hollins said he wanted two experienced men with him ”who will have huge responsibility, who have the right to stop a practice and coach because they know what to look for. I’m not egotistical. I know basketball, but I also know the value of having good people around you.”