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Jeff Cassar and Robin Fraser
in Balance Discussion Thu Dec 20, 2018 7:41 amby jinshuiqian0713 • Farseer | 1.260 Posts | 12600 Points
MONACO -- Roger Federer will try to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time and Stanislas Wawrinka his first Masters title anywhere when they meet in an all-Swiss final on Sunday. Air Max Cheap Sale . Federer ousted defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday, after Wawrinka had beaten sixth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 6-1, 7-6 (3). Sundays match will be the first all-Swiss final since Marc Rosset beat Federer in Marseille in 2000, and the first time that Federer and Wawrinka meet in a championship decider. "I think its incredible that we are in the finals together, the same week weve been playing so well," Federer said. "I know Spaniards have it, French guys have it, Americans might have it. But for us its so rare. Last time was 14 years ago. I played so many matches in the meantime ... You think its never going to happen again." The odds appear stacked against Australian Open champion Wawrinka, who trails 13-1 overall against 17-time Grand Slam winner Federer. Wawrinka has lost his previous two Masters finals -- at Madrid last year and Rome six years ago. But he will take heart from the fact his only win against Federer was here, in the third round, back in 2009 -- although Federer had other things on his mind back then. "I was basically on my honeymoon. I married on Saturday and I came over here and played him like on Thursday," Federer said. "I know I have a good head-to-head (record) against him. I dont read that much into it. Hes a different calibre player now." Federer looked in good touch against Djokovic but conceded that the Serb -- who had a right-wrist injury -- was not at his best. "I feel like I have put in the performance to be there, gave myself the opportunity this week. So Im very happy with my play. Of course, I did see that Novak was struggling," Federer said. "Now I set up the dream final for Stan and myself and Swiss tennis and the Swiss fans. Its very exciting times right now." Djokovic complained of soreness in his right wrist at the start of the week and took to the court with it heavily strapped. It seemed to affect him more toward the end of the first set, and he was serving way below his best throughout the second. "Its unfortunate that when youre playing at this level against Roger, big tournament, that you are not able to play your game because something else is taking away all your energy and effort," Djokovic said. "I did everything I could really, I was on the medications every day, I was doing different therapies, injections." The fourth-seeded Federer entered the tournament only after accepting a wild card invitation, having missed the two previous editions. He lost three consecutive finals to eight-time champion Rafael Nadal from 2006-08. Djokovic missed two break-point chances when he had Federer 15-40 down in the 10th game, but Federers backhand got him out of trouble and he saved the next one with a smash at the net. Federer was inconsistent in his quarterfinal win against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but looked sharp against Djokovic, teasing him with one casual drop shot that surprised the Serb and drew loud cheers from the centre-court crowd soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine. Federer broke for 6-5 when Djokovic netted a weak forehand. At the changeover, Djokovic nursed his right wrist as he sat in his chair, looking stern-faced and pensive. "From the end of the first and the whole second, every shot was pain, especially with the serve," he said. Djokovics first-serve speed dropped to 160 kph (100 mph) in the second set and he was unable to properly flex his arm as he tried to return one shot from Federer in the third game. But it was becoming too easy for Federer, who improved to 18-16 overall against Djokovic. Cheap Nike Air Max Wholesale . On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line. Air Max Cheap Online . 1 overall pick in the draft by the Houston Texans, is recovering from sports hernia surgery. http://www.cheapairmaxshop.com/ . The two-time former Formula One champion downplayed his third-place finish three weeks ago in China and said progress is going slow for Ferrari as it tries to make up ground on Mercedes.TORONTO -- In playing Real Salt Lake this weekend, Toronto FC is taking on the kind of team it aspires to be -- a perennial playoff side with a winning tradition and championship character. Now in its 10th season, Real Salt Lake has made the playoffs the last six years, winning the MLS Cup in 2009. Until overtaken in the MLS record books early last year, Real Salt Lake held the league mark for consecutive home wins at 29. Rio Tinto Stadium was an impregnable fortress from June 2009 to May 2011. Toronto (2-0-0 this season) has a 1-5-0 lifetime record in Sandy, Utah. RSL (1-0-2 this season) was also the first MLS team to reach the CONCACAF Champions League final, losing to Monterrey 3-2 on aggregate in 2011. Last season Real Salt Lake made it to two finals but lost both: beaten in the MLS Cup by Sporting Kansas City in an agonizing penalty shootout and 1-0 by D.C. United in the U.S. Open Cup. There has been stability on the sidelines with Jeff Cassar, who has been with the team since May 2007, moving up the ladder to head coach last December after Jason Kreis became the first head coach of New York City FC. Cassar is the third head coach in RSL history. Toronto was on coach No. 5 in Year 4 and is currently on its eighth manager in Ryan Nelsen. RSL captain Kyle Beckerman arrived in 2007 in a trade from the Colorado Rapids. The midfielder with the distinctive dreadlocks credits coaching and a little luck for the franchises success. "We were able to get players into this team that were ready to be coached by a coach like Jason and Jeff Cassar and Robin Fraser (a former RSL assistant coach who is now with the New York Red Bulls)," he said Thursday. "It just so happened that we were able to get a group of guys together that ... really just needed a good environment -- an ownership that cared, a coaching staff that did the right thing. A lot of the guys were coming from places that didnt do the game right. "A lot of us, that core group thats still here, it was a breath of fresh air that we really needed. And we just took full advantage because we knew exactly the opportunity that was in front of us, because wed had it the opposite way, where the owner doesnt care or the coach just doesnt get it. "So I think we lucked out a little bit that we had the core in the same place, here in Salt Lake, tthat was just absolutely ready to explode and take full advantage of what was in front of us. Air Max Online Cheap. And thats what we did." The 31-year-old Beckerman is joined on the team by fellow U.S. internationals Nick Rimando (a goalie who came on board in 2007) and Luis Gil (a midfielder who joined in 2010). Other veterans include defenders Nat Borchers (2008) and Chris Wingert (2007), midfielders Ned Grabavoy (2009) and Javier Morales (2007) and forwards Robbie Findley (two stints since 2007) and Alvaro Saborio (2010). Players want to come to winning clubs. And RSL does a good job checking out new talent. "They want to bring in not only good players but good people," said Beckerman. Toronto FC has followed the same road this off-season, with marquee signings Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley, Gilberto and Julio Cesar all fitting in. Beckerman acknowledges that he respects Torontos search for success. "The thing that I really admire about Toronto is that they wont stop. Theyve kept at it. Theyve kept trying to fix and get the right recipe. And it doesnt seem like theyre going to stop any time soon. Theyre going to keep going and keep spending until they get the right recipe. "And I admire that. Thats something a lot of other teams would love to have that. With the fan base, theyve been loyal there and theyve stuck with them through tough times. The ownership and what theyre doing there, is kind of a reward to that loyalty and giving them a successful team. "Time will tell if this is the right one. But it seems so far that theyve brought in the right players so far. So I think its definitely on the up and up over there." Like Toronto, the early days were bleak in Salt Lake. The team went 5-22-5 with just 20 points in its inaugural season in 2005. In 2005-06, the fledgling franchise endured a league-record 18-game winless streak. But it didnt take long for Real Salt Lake to turn the corner. It had 39 points in Season 2 and 40 in Season 4, going 10-10-10 and reaching the 2008 playoff semifinals. In 2009, it was another 40-point season and the 11-12-7 team went on to win the title. Since then, RSL has collected 56, 53, 57 and 56 points. In contrast, Torontos points total since entering the league in 2007 is 25, 35, 39, 35, 33, 23, and 29. The two teams meet Saturday. 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