Serena Williams lets big lead slip at French Open

PARIS (AP) — Even after 13 Grand Slam championships and dozens of other titles, Serena Williams is capable of throwing away a big lead.

Williams led 5-1 in the second-set tiebreaker and was two points from victory nine times but still lost to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 Tuesday at the French Open — the first time she has ever lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament.

"I definitely was nervous. I'm always a little nervous in every match I play, which I think is a little bit healthy," said the fifth-seeded Williams, who had been 46-0 in the first round of majors. "I was definitely a little nervous."

Williams entered the tournament with a 17-0 record on clay this year. And it looked like No. 18 was in the bag late in the second set.

But Razzano won six straight points to take the set and then won five straight games in the third set.

"I just felt I couldn't get a ball in play," Williams said. "You know, when I did, I just felt like I was hitting late and, I mean, how can you hit late on a clay court? It was kind of odd."

Defending men's champion Rafael Nodal had no such trouble, starting his quest for a record seventh French Open title by beating Simone Borelli of Italy 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Maria Sharapova had an even easier time, scoring a "double bagel" in her 6-0, 6-0 win over Alexandra Cadantu of Romania.

On Wednesday, both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will play in the second round. On the women's side, top-seeded Victoria Azarenka will be first up in the main stadium.

Williams and Razzano were last up in the main stadium on Tuesday, and they gave the fans a show.

After Williams failed to close out the match in straight sets, Razzano jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third. The American then reeled off the next three games, and nearly got back on serve.

In the final, 23-minute game of the match, Williams saved seven match points but wasted five break points before losing.

"I just was thinking, 'OK, if I could break here, then we'll be back on serve.' You know, those are the kind of things that are going through your head," Williams said.

For Razzano, the win was one of the biggest of her career. Ranked 111th, the Frenchwoman has never been past the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament.

And it was made even more special considering the personal loss she experienced when her fiance died about a week before last year's French Open.

"Honestly, the past is the past," said Razzano, who lost in the first round last year. "I think now I did my mourning. I feel good today. It took time."

Just before Razzano and Williams walked out onto the clay on Court Philippe Chatrier, Nadal played in the stadium where he has won six of his 10 Grand Slam titles.

One more will break the French Open record he shares with Bjorn Borg.

Nadal was asked whether he expects Borg to make an appearance this year.

"We are in the second round," Nadal said. "I have enough work to do thinking about the next round, and not think about if Bjorn will be here or if I'm going to play the final. That's day-by-day and we'll see."

Nadal improved his record to 46-1 at Roland Garros. His only loss came in the fourth round in 2009, against Robin Soderling.

Sharapova's record on clay is not as impressive. Although she has won three major titles, she still needs a victory at the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam.

Last year, she lost in the semifinals.

"I feel like with every year I have improved," Sharapova said, "and I enjoy it much more."

Stanley Cup finals faceoff: Devils vs. Kings

The Stanley Cup finals are here at last, after 82 regular-season games and three rounds of playoffs, and the matchup is as unlikely they come. The sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils will take on the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings.

Here's a look at how the series breaks down.

___

No. 6 (East) NEW JERSEY DEVILS (48-28-6) vs. No. 8 (West) LOS ANGELES KINGS (40-27-15)

HOW THEY GOT HERE: New Jersey beat No. 3 Florida 4-3, No. 5 Philadelphia 4-1, and No. 1 New York Rangers 4-2. Los Angeles beat No. 1 Vancouver 4-1, No. 2 St. Louis 4-0, and No. 3 Phoenix 4-1.

2011-12 SERIES RECORD: Devils 2-0 (one win in shootout).

PLAYOFF HISTORY: None. This is the teams' first meeting in the playoffs.

___

NEW JERSEY: The Devils are in the Stanley Cup finals for the fifth time and are looking for their fourth title. New Jersey captured the Cup in 1995, 2000 and 2003, with its only finals loss to Colorado in 2001. ... Martin Brodeur has been there for all the finals appearances, and could call it a career at age 40 once this series is over — win or lose. Forward Patrik Elias has been in all of New Jersey's trips to the finals, except for the first in 1995. ... Brodeur injured his right shoulder against the Kings on Oct. 13 and missed six games. He didn't earn his first win of the season until Nov. 5. Backup goalie Johan Hedberg earned both of New Jersey's wins over the Kings. ... Captain Zach Parise leads the Devils with seven playoff goals and is second with 14 points. He led the way in the conference finals against the Rangers when he had six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in the series. This could be the last hurrah for Parise with New Jersey as he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

THREE DEVILS TO WATCH: All of these guys have broken out in the playoffs.

Defenseman Bryce Salvador. After scoring no goals and posting nine assists in 82 regular-season games, Salvador has three goals and eight assists in 18 postseason contests.

Fourth-line center Ryan Carter. Carter has scored four goals in 17 playoff games, including first-period tallies in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Rangers. New Jersey won the final three games of the series.

Center Travis Zajac. Limited to only 15 regular-season games because of a torn Achilles tendon, the Devils' No. 1 center returned to action in late March. He has found his game in the playoffs, and has excelled by tying for the team lead with seven goals. He also has five assists in 18 games.

___

LOS ANGELES: The Kings have reached the finals for just the second time in team history. Los Angeles is still looking for its first Stanley Cup championship, having lost in five games to Montreal in 1993. ... The Kings have won an NHL-record eight straight road playoff games — the first team to do it in one playoff year — including three at Phoenix in the Western Conference finals. Los Angeles, which has outscored opponents 30-13 in its road games, has won 10 straight away from home — a record for multiple years. The Kings are the first team to take an undefeated road record into the finals since the conference format started in 1994. ... The Kings are the second No. 8 seed to get to the finals under the current postseason format and the first to eliminate the top three seeded teams in the conference in succession. ... Los Angeles has excelled behind Vezina Trophy finalist Jonathan Quick, who is 12-2 with a 1.54 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in the playoffs. ... On offense, the Kings are paced by their top line of captain Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

THREE KINGS TO WATCH: This trio could make a difference for the Kings.

Left wing Simon Gagne. Gagne could be a Kings wild card, having been medically cleared to play for the first time since a concussion sidelined him on Dec. 26. It might take another injury for a lineup spot to open up for Gagne, who made it to the Cup finals two years ago with Philadelphia.

Dwight King. The rookie forward has five goals, including two game-winners in the Western Conference finals. King, the 109th pick in the 2007 draft, was recalled from the minors on Feb. 10 and had five goals and nine assists in 27 regular-season games.

Willie Mitchell. The 35-year-old defenseman, who is the Kings' oldest player, is in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time.

___

THE PLAYERS' TAKE:

"Well, I've got five kids now. So, I need to be here." — 40-year-old Devils goalie Martin Brodeur on why he is still playing.

"Most of his ribs at us are more of the sarcastic type than the stern force, yelling at us. He will just say, 'Is this game too hard for you tonight?' or something like that, just to get you angry. He knows what makes hockey players angry." — Kings forward Justin Williams on Darryl Sutter's coaching style.

____

CELEBRITY WATCH:

In New Jersey, while Garden State rocker Bruce Springsteen will be on tour in Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy during the finals, there's always a chance Jersey's other legend, Jon Bon Jovi, shows. He made an appearance in Round 3 vs. the Rangers.

In Los Angeles, expect to see plenty of stars in what they're now calling "Hockeywood." Already, Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Colin Hanks, David Beckham, Rachel McAdams, Alyssa Milano, and Kurt Russell have been bit by Kings Fever, and took in games at Staples Center. Who's left?

___

OUTLOOK: The Kings show how they got this far in a highly competitive series, but Brodeur and Devils get the best of Quick and capture the Cup in California. Devils in 6.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs are making this look way too easy.

Parker had 34 points and eight assists, Manu Ginobili added 20 points and the Spurs stayed perfect in the playoffs with a 120-111 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night.

So far, the Spurs have turned a hotly anticipated matchup between the league's top two scoring teams into a lopsided mismatch more befitting of an early round.

Game 3 is Thursday night in Oklahoma City, and the Thunder can only hope that a change of venue throws San Antonio out of its groove. The Spurs put on an offensive clinic for three quarters on Tuesday night, shooting 60 percent and building a 22-point lead.

"We like to play like that," said Parker, who hit 16 of 21 shots. "That's the way we play."

The Spurs set an NBA record with their 20th consecutive victory bridging the regular season and the playoffs. They came in sharing the longest such streak with the 2000-01 Lakers, who won 19 straight before losing to Philadelphia in the first game of the finals.

Those Lakers went on to win the championship and Parker's performance is yet another reason to think the Spurs will do the same.

"It's great and it is a great run," said Tim Duncan, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds. "But we are only worried about the next two wins in this series. That is all that matters, at this point."

The Thunder made a late surge to get within six points, but Parker, Ginobili and Duncan helped San Antonio finish them off. Oklahoma City is 5-0 at home in the playoffs, but only 14 teams have come back from 2-0 deficits to win a series in NBA playoff history.

"First, we've got to worry about Game 3," Thunder guard Russell Westbrook said. "Regardless of what's going on with this last game or the next game, we've got to worry about Game 3 and come in with the same mindset and try to get a win."

Kevin Durant had 31 points, Westbrook had 27 points and eight assists and James Harden rebounded from a rough Game 1 to score 30 for the Thunder, who have lost two straight for the first time since early April. Oklahoma City dropped to 15-4 in games after losses this season.

"There are no moral victories for us," Durant said. "We were down. We dug ourselves a hole. We did what we normally do, which is fight all game, and we lost."

San Antonio picked up where it left off from the 39-point fourth quarter that turned Game 1 on Sunday. With sharp passes and hot shooting, the Spurs jumped to a 19-9 lead after the Thunder missed six of their first seven shots and had three turnovers in the first 4 minutes.

Durant was on the bench at the start of the second quarter, and Parker and the Spurs put together a 14-4 spurt to stretch the gap to 13 points. Westbrook hammered Parker's arm on a drive and he crumpled to the court. That didn't faze Parker, who scored the Spurs' next seven points to keep San Antonio rolling.

The Spurs shot 58 percent (22 of 38) and had 13 assists in the first half. They also cut down their turnovers, committing only six in the first half after giving away 14 in the first two quarters of Game 1.

"You never go out and say, 'We're going to start out fast,'" San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "You don't know what is going to happen. You just want your team to be aggressive."

After the break, the Spurs resumed picking apart Oklahoma City's defense with precision passes, scoring on five straight possessions. The biggest cheer from the crowd came after Ginobili flipped a behind-the-back pass to Parker in the corner for another 3 and the lead ballooned to 78-58.

Late in the third quarter, the Thunder began intentionally fouling Tiago Splitter, a 32 percent free-throw shooter during the playoffs.

That backfired, too. Splitter went 5 for 10 over a 54-second span before Popovich replaced him with Duncan, and Oklahoma City trailed by the same margin — 16 — that it did when Brooks called for the "Hack-a-Splitter" strategy.

It may not have showed on the scoreboard, but the Spurs seemed to lose their edge after that.

"There's a reason why you do it, to kill the rhythm," Parker said. "I think it got us out of our rhythm."

Parker, Ginobili and Duncan were on the court together at the 8-minute mark, after the Thunder cut the deficit to eight. Ginobili's floater in the lane was only the Spurs' third field goal of the fourth quarter and put San Antonio up 99-89.

The Thunder had the deficit down to six with just over 5 minutes remaining. The Spurs missed 12 of 15 shots during one stretch, but Parker hit an off-balance, high-arcing jumper with 3:39 left for a 107-96 lead and San Antonio controlled the game from there.

Notes: The Spurs' winning streak is the longest in the NBA overall since the Houston Rockets won 22 straight between Jan. 29-March 18, 2008, all in the regular season. ... The Thunder are the first team to reach 100 points against San Antonio in the postseason. ... Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers for the Spurs. ... Duncan blocked four shots to tie Hakeem Olajuwon for second in career blocks in the postseason (472). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the leader (476). ... Oklahoma City's Derek Fisher went 2 for 11 from the field after scoring 13 points in Game 1.

NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay is expected to miss six to eight weeks because of a strained right shoulder, the latest major setback for the five-time NL East champions.

Halladay was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, two days after he was hit hard and pulled from a start in St. Louis after just two innings because of shoulder soreness.

The two-time Cy Young winner will be shut down for a minimum of three weeks, then work toward rejoining the rotation, Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said.

Proefrock said tests done in Philadelphia indicated Halladay doesn't need surgery to recover and that the injury doesn't affect his rotator cuff.

"We hate to have him down, but it's nothing that requires anything other than rest," Proefrock said.

Halladay is 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts. He has pitched at least 220 innings in each of the past six seasons, and four times led the league in innings. His 72 1-3 innings this year tied Houston's Wandy Rodriguez for the NL lead.

The move with Halladay, which came two years to the day since he pitched a perfect game in Florida, was made retroactive to Monday. Catcher Erik Kratz was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Minutes before the injury was announced as a Grade I/Grade II strain of the latissimus dorsi, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he thought Halladay needed a break.

Halladay has "thrown a lot of bullets over his career," Manuel said, suggesting the 35-year-old pitcher could step back for a bit and still be dominant. The durable Halladay had not been on the DL because of shoulder trouble since 2004.

"He's got to get well," Manuel said.

The injury came with the Phillies at 26-24 and tied with Atlanta for last in the division, four games behind Washington.

Philadelphia has managed to stay close minus All-Star hitters Ryan Howard (Achilles tendon) and Chase Utley (knee), who haven't played at all this season. Manuel said he harbored hope that his slugging first baseman and smooth-fielding second baseman would be back at some point this year.

As for Halladay's absence, "it would hurt us," Manuel said. "How much, I really don't know."

The Phillies have relied on their pitching, particularly their rotation, to stick solidly in contention. Vance Worley, who is on the DL and hasn't started since May 11 because of elbow trouble, threw his first bullpen session since the injury before Tuesday's game.

Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton and Kyle Kendrick remain in the rotation, and there are a few potential replacements at Triple-A, including former big leaguers Dave Bush and Scott Elarton.

Any chance for Philadelphia to sign former Phillies star Roy Oswalt as a possible addition ended when the free agent reached a deal with Texas later Tuesday.

"Yeah, we can always use pitching," Manuel said, while adding, "I'm not telling (GM) Ruben Amaro to get another."

Halladay initially felt discomfort in his shoulder last Tuesday in a start against Washington but worked through it. He cut back on his throwing regimen before his next outing, but was tagged by Yadier Molina's grand slam in St. Louis.

Halladay began the season by throwing eight strong innings in a 1-0 win at Pittsburgh on opening day and seemed fine until blowing a 6-0 lead against Atlanta on May 2. He's 1-3 since then and the Phillies have lost four of his five starts.

The eight-time All-Star came to the Phillies in a trade with Toronto before the 2010 season and got a $60 million, three-year contract. Halladay pitched a perfect game against the Marlins in that first season with Philadelphia, and later that year threw a no-hitter against Cincinnati in his first career postseason outing.

The Phillies won the 2008 World Series and hoped to capture another crown after adding Halladay. But Philadelphia lost to the eventual champion San Francisco Giants in the 2010 NL championship series, then Halladay lost to Chris Carpenter and St. Louis 1-0 in the deciding Game 5 of the 2011 division series.

Texas Rangers ink Oswalt to one-year deal

Roy Oswalt, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher, has signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers, according to a posting on the team's website.

The 34-year-old right-hander is expected to make several starts with developmental-league teams before joining the Rangers, who lost starter Neftali Feliz with a sprained right elbow.

The deal, reportedly worth as much as $5 million, could help the Rangers reach the World Series for the third year in a row. The two-time defending American League champions lost to San Francisco in 2010 and St. Louis in 2011.

Several clubs had shown interest in Oswalt, including the Philadelphia Phillies, for whom he went 9-10 last season with a 3.69 earned-run average in 139 innings over 23 starts.

In 11 major league seasons with the Phillies and Houston, Oswalt is 159-93 with a 3.21 earned-run average.

Kings goaltender Quick to dodge the spotlight

NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - With a baseball cap pushed low over his brow and a hoodie pulled up over his head, Los Angeles Kings' Jonathan Quick looked more like a Hollywood celebrity trying to dodge paparazzi than a seasoned netminder preparing to meet NHL media on Tuesday.

Focused on the New Jersey Devils and Game One of the best-of-seven Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday, Quick admitted that fulfilling his team's media day obligations was not part of his rich playoff experience.

A man of few words, the soft-spoken Quick is about as forthcoming as New York Rangers' tight-lipped coach John Tortorella, deflecting questions like opposition slapshots.

"Well I don't, to be honest, really enjoy this," mumbled Quick. "When I think of the final I don't think of being here in front of you guys (media).

"I think of going and playing a hockey game at the highest level. That's all I think about."

Playing in one of hockey's non-traditional markets, Quick has been able to go about his business in relative anonymity, happily evading the spotlight.

Hidden behind a mask and the traditional playoff beard, the 26-year-old American's face is familiar only to the most dedicated Kings fans.

"On the West Coast we have a little less media coverage," said Kings forward Justin Williams. "It's just the way it works.

LOW KEY

"If Quick was on the East Coast, people would know him a little bit more.

"His demeanor is very low-key. He is not a guy that will come in and say, 'Look at me'. It's more about the team but I think people are starting to find out how good he is."

Quick has made fans and his peers take notice.

He has been the best puck-stopper in the playoffs with a miniscule 1.54 goals-against average, conceding two or fewer goals in 12 of 14 post-season contests.

He had 10 shutouts during the regular season and added two more in the playoffs.

"I wouldn't say I was stealing games," said Quick. "I think it was a team effort.

"We are a great defensive club. We've done that well for years, so I wouldn't look at it as stealing games.

"My job is the same as it was in October, stop the puck. That's it."

Unlike Martin Brodeur, his opposite number in the New Jersey net who has embraced the spotlight as he savors what could be his final playoff appearance, Quick prefers his play on the ice to do most of the talking.

A Vezina Trophy finalist as the NHL's top netminder and a top candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, Quick has been instrumental in driving the eighth-seeded Kings into the finals for just the second time in the franchise's 45-year history.

"He's a really good goalie, he's played at a high level for a few years now," said Brodeur. "He got himself in a great position with a team and the system they play in. What I like about him is he's an athlete.

"He's a goalie who is going to make saves and not move. The puck is just not going to hit him, he's going to go out and compete like crazy. He's pretty spectacular to watch."

(Editing by Ian Ransom)

UAE face Kazakhstan in crunch A5N rugby tie Hosts aim to bounce back after two losses

UAE Rugby face a battle for survival in the HSBC Asian 5 Nations (A5N) Top 5 competition when they take on Kazakhstan at The Sevens on Friday.
Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm in what is billed as a relegation battle particularly after South Korea pulled off a 21-19 victory against Hong Kong last week.
UAE are aiming to bounce back from the battering they received at the hands of Hong Kong (85-10) and Japan (106-3).

Kazakhstan opened its 2012 season with an 87-0 loss to Japan but had a bye last weekend.

After two rounds of high intensity rugby, UAE will be seeking an improved performance and hope home advantage will work in their favour in this crucial third-round clash after their new-look outfit learned lessons the hard way.


“We have learned to defend better from our first two games, even though the scoreboard doesn’t reflect it, and hopefully we will be able to use that to good effect against Kazakhstan,” said UAE's performance manager Duncan Hall.

Hall has made four changes to the starting XV in a bid to field the best squad.

Graham Murphy steps back into the front row, Tim Fletcher steps into outside Centre, John Fawls at right wing and Imad Reyal takes on full back duties. Starting from the bench is Chris Jones-Griffiths, Sean Hurley and returning to the squad is Sam Cook at no.19.

“The A5N draw to face Hong Kong and Japan in the first 2 weeks (without rest) was playing to achieve wins against impossible odds,” admits Hall.

“We’ve played under enormous pressure, that has led to mistakes on the field during this campaign. We have no excuses and have gained valuable experience. The next match against Kazakhstan is now our time to use these experiences and play with high expectations. We have prepared to deliver confident, effective combinations and having been exposed to playing by far the best two sides in Asia (early in the campaign) has united the players more on and off the field,” he added.

Hall is aware of the immense pressure he and his squad face at home.

“To move forward we need to build on what we have available, we don’t (currently) have the luxury of a deep talent pool. I am proud of the commitment and attitude that has come through in many of the players particularly over the past two weeks, these players have earned their right to represent the UAE,” he said.

“This was always going to be our crucial game,” Hall added. “We knew we would face two challenging games in our opening encounters and last week’s result, where South Korea defeated Hong Kong, makes this game even more critical.”

Korea, returning to the top flight, defeated Hong Kong 21-19 to move up three places in the IRB world rankings to 28th. Hong Kong slipped down to 29.

UAE does not have an official ranking as they have still to play the required number of internationals, but realise that a loss against Kazakhstan will all but shut the door on them in the Top Five next year.

“We can’t assume anyone is going down as yet. We have two games to go and our target when we began was to win two matches. So we are still in with a shout,” Hall said.

“The guys have worked hard. We have struggled so far because we are not used to playing under such intense pressure. The speed at which Japan and Hong Kong played has been incredible.

“We don’t have anyone of the calibre of say the Japanese winger (Yoshikazu Fujita) who scored six tries against us. We are not endowed with speed, but I can see improvement in our side and hopefully that will be translated on to the scoreboard,” Hall added.

UAE has received some words of encouragement from Japan’s new coach Eddie Jones who has said he liked the “commitment” showed by the players.

“They lost on the scoreboard, but in terms of attitude, there are some really good signs there,” Jones told the media after last week’s match.

“We are playing with limited numbers,” admitted Hall. “But all these guys have a lot of heart.”

In this week’s other HSBC A5N Top 5 match, Japan are away to South Korea in a battle of the last two unbeaten teams remaining in this year’s Top 5 competition. The game will be held at Seongnam Stadium in Seoul at 13.00 local time on Saturday.

UAE squad
1. Graham Murphy – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2. Peter Sampson – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
3. Dan Boatwright – Dubai Hurricanes
4. Greg Thompson – Dubai Hurricanes
5. Simon Osborne – Dubai Hurricanes
6. Brett Williams – Dubai Exiles
7. David Matasio – Dubai Wasps
8. Alistair Thompson (captain) – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
9. Patrick Hegarty – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
10. Murray Strang – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
11. Steve Smith – Dubai Hurricanes
12. Jonathon O’Connor – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
13. Tim Fletcher (vice-captain) – Jebel Ali Dragons
14. John Fawls – Dubai Exiles
15. Imad Reyal – Dubai Exiles
16. Charles Lilley – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
17. Christopher Jones-Griffiths – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
18. Tristan Barnett – Dubai Hurricanes
19. Sam Cook – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
20. Antoine Bertheuil – Dubai Frogs
21. Sean Hurley – Jebel Ali Dragons
22. Mohammed Alsulaiman – Dubai Wasps