Grüße und Vorstellung » The Rangers will face either the Flyers

PARIS -- Canadas Eugenie Bouchard played like someone who belonged in the final four of a Grand Slam on Thursday. Mets Jack Reinheimer Jersey . She gave Maria Sharapova a stiff challenge at the French Open before the Russian veteran pulled away late for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory, derailing Bouchards attempt to become the first Canadian to reach a major singles final in the Open era. As painful as the defeat was for the 20-year-old from Westmount, Que., it will go down as another valuable learning experience on the heels of her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance at this years Australian Open. A look of dejection was etched on her face as she left the court after the nearly 2 1/2-hour long match. It was clear Bouchard wasnt just happy to be on the big stage. She wanted the victory and was crushed when it didnt happen. "She was actually very, very disappointed," Canadian Fed Cup team captain Sylvain Bruneau said on a conference call. "She was not speaking much and I think it shows how much she believes in herself. Sometimes those tough losses are painful but sometimes theyre good. "Sometimes you learn from it and they hurt a little bit and the next time youre in this position, you do a couple things differently and the outcome is different." Sharapova, the No. 7 seed, lost the first set for the third straight match, but again managed to turn things around. "It was a tough battle, it was what I expected," said Bouchard. "I didnt play as well as I had earlier in the tournament. Its always disappointing to be a bit off. I needed to be aggressive and go for my shots." Sharapova won eight of the last 10 games, and has now won 19 straight three-set matches on clay. "I would love to win those matches in two sets, but I always feel like I put in the work to be ready to play whatever it takes," she said. "If it takes three hours to win the match in three sets, I will be ready for that." Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam by winning the title at Roland Garros in 2012, but lost to Serena Williams in last years final. Bouchard, the No. 18 seed, was playing at the French Open for the only second time. Last year, she lost to Sharapova in the second round. "Im always disappointed with a loss," Bouchard said. "I expect a lot from myself. You know, I felt like I was close today and just came up a bit short. That happens sometimes. I feel like I played a lot of good matches the past two weeks, three weeks even, and so its sad to see it come to an end. "But it just motivates me ... I was still so close. That just gives me extra motivation to work hard in practice and get ready for the next one and have that belief that I can do it." Fourth-seeded Simona Halep of Romania defeated 28th-seeded Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal. The final is scheduled for Saturday. Sharapova struggled a bit with her serve, double-faulting nine times and getting broken four times. But she made up for it with solid groundstrokes, either going for winners or waiting out errors from Bouchard. Bouchard took the early lead with her first break in the third game of the match, smacking a forehand winner to give herself a 2-1 edge. She quickly made it 3-1 by completing a run of winning 12 of 17 points. The pair traded breaks early in the second set, and then again later. But Sharapova managed to stay ahead and broke Bouchard for the third time in the set to even the match at one set apiece. "I dont feel that I played my best tennis, but to be in the semifinals of a Grand Slam and winning a match where I felt my opponent played extremely well, exceptional tennis, and I didnt feel that I was playing my best, I fought, I scrambled, and I found a way to win," Sharapova said. The Russian served first in the third set, and made her move in the fourth game, converting her third break point to take a 3-1 lead that she held onto until the end. "I constructed the points well but I didnt finish them as well as I could," Bouchard said. "In the third set, I didnt feel tired, but she does put so much pressure on you. She elevated her game later in the match, I tried to do my thing and I had a couple of chances but I didnt take my opportunities. "Maybe I let off a bit on my shots in the second and third sets." Bouchard, who lost to eventual champion Li Na at the Australian Open in January, saved four match points before Sharapova won it with a forehand that Bouchard missed on the other end. Bouchard and Carling Bassett-Seguso, who lost in the US Open semifinal in 1984, are the only Canadian singles players who have made the final four at a Grand Slam in the Open era. "The semis of a Grand Slam are always exciting," Bouchard said. "I felt good on the court. I enjoyed it on the big stage. I tried to compete (and gave it) my best. I love playing tennis so I enjoyed being out there. I actually felt better on court than I did in Australia." Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title 10 years ago at Wimbledon. She followed that with major titles at the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008. But since she recovered from having right shoulder surgery in 2008, she has vastly improved her clay-court game and has won six of her last eight titles on the red surface. This year, Sharapova has already won clay-court titles in Stuttgart and Rome, and her six wins so far at Roland Garros give her an 18-1 record on the dirt this season. And like against Bouchard, its been tough to beat her in three sets on the surface. The last time Sharapova lost a three-set match on clay was at Roland Garros in 2010, when Justine Henin beat her in the third round. The loss ended a 10-match winning streak on clay for Bouchard, who came to Paris after winning a warmup event in Germany. Sharapova owns a 3-0 career record against the Canadian. She also beat the former Wimbledon junior champion last year in Miami. In the late semifinal, Halep played aggressive tennis from the outset. She finished the first set with 12 winners and seven unforced errors, while Petkovic had only three winners and 14 unforced errors. The second set was much closer as Petkovic played with more consistency, but the 22-year-old Romanian was able to close it out in the tiebreaker with a forehand winner. Both Halep and Petkovic were playing in a major semifinal for the first time. Mets Darryl Strawberry Jersey . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season. Mets Pedro Martinez Jersey . -- Howie Kendrick had a two-run single in his first game batting leadoff this season, Chris Iannetta hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 6-4 Tuesday night, sending the Indians to their fifth straight defeat. http://www.cheapmetsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=mets-steven-matz-jersey . -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open. MANCHESTER, England -- After a summer spending spree of $250 million, the good times just might be on their way back at Manchester United. To the backdrop of fans chanting "Were going to win the league," United beat Queens Park Rangers 4-0 on Sunday to end its winless start to the Premier League season with a result and performance that may be seen as the true beginning to the Louis van Gaal era. The brilliant Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera scored their first goals for United, Wayne Rooney added a third before the break and Juan Mata also found the net to give Van Gaal his first win in five competitive matches in charge. All that was missing for a home crowd that rediscovered its full voice was a goal for Radamel Falcao. He came on as a substitute in the 67th minute for his debut in a season-long loan from Monaco that is costing a reported $25 million in salary and fee. The Colombia striker was presented with a great opportunity from close range with seven minutes remaining, but his shot was blocked. Still, with the goals flying in elsewhere and the team showing more pace and intensity, it was like the old times again at Old Trafford. "I said to the players before the match, We have to make a new start today," Van Gaal said. "This is the selection -- we start now." The victory lifted United to five points from four league matches and could make Van Gaal think again about his deployment of a 3-5-2 formation. Against Harry Redknapps QPR, a team that offered very little and is likely to be in a relegation fight come May, Van Gaal reverted to a 4-4-2 and some assuredness seemed to return to the players as a result. Left back Marcos Rojo and holding midfielder Daley Blind made solid debuts and, in Di Maria, Van Gaal has a player who could light up the Premierr League this season. Mets Bobby Wahl Jersey. . The Argentina winger crucially broke the deadlock in the 24th when his free kick evaded everyone in a crowded area and bounced into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Rob Green rooted to the spot. And from one of Di Marias many surges that quickly turned defence into attack, Herrera ended up making it 2-0 in the 36th. Rooney collected a pass from Di Maria, had a shot blocked and laid the ball off for Herrera to drive a bobbling effort into the corner. After Rooney shot home low from the edge of the area for the third goal in the 44th, Di Maria was the architect of the fourth just before the hour, with his driven shot arriving at the feet of Mata and the Spain playmaker afforded time and space to lift a finish high into the net. "Can you do better when you prepare three goals and (score) one? It is nearly impossible," Van Gaal said of Di Maria. A visiting defence that included Rio Ferdinand, who left United in May after 12 years, fell apart after Di Marias goal in the face of wave after wave of attacks. Ferdinand received a warm ovation during the warmup and a memento from United great Bobby Charlton before kickoff, but this was not an afternoon the veteran centre back will remember fondly. As Mata was scoring, Uniteds fans were giving Falcao a standing ovation as he trotted out of the dug-out to loosen up. Within eight minutes, he was on the pitch. Falcao almost scored, too, pouncing on a parried save from Green off Blinds low drive but seeing his first-time shot saved by the goalkeeper. "We are building a process and we have to play in a certain style," Van Gaal said. "At the end, I hope to be manager of the champion of the Premier League. If it is not this year, then in my second year or my third year." cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '