m always focused. When youre in the hurt business, you have no choice but to stay focused on the test that lies at hand because if youre not focused, you can get knocked out. No one wants to feel what it feels like to be knocked out, wake u

NEW YORK -- Angelique Kerber probably doesnt consider herself a late bloomer, but the meaty metrics of tennis suggest otherwise.The No. 2-seeded German could depart the National Tennis Center in two weeks as the WTAs No. 1-ranked player -- making her, at 28, the oldest woman ever to claim the top spot for the first time.Kerber sprinted into the second round Monday when Polona Hercog retired with a combination of illness and heat stroke after losing the first seven games in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Hercog is now 1-18 versus top-10 opponents.Serena Williams, who is defending 460 more points here than Kerber, essentially needs to last longer than Kerber in the draw to retain that No. 1 ranking. Jennifer Capriati was 25 years and 6 months old when she ascended to the No. 1 ranking for the first time, in 2001. Kerber, incredibly, would be more than three years older.A few more takeaways from the match:Startlingly swift beginning: Kerber came into New York following a pair of difficult losses -- to Monica Puig in the gold-medal match in Rio and to Karolina Pliskova in the Cincinnati final -- but there was no hangover here. Kerber won 30 of the abbreviated matchs 39 points, in a tidy total of 33 minutes.If theres pressure, shes not feeling it: Kerber could have lifted that No. 1 ranking with a title in Cincinnati but looked tired in losing to Pliskova. In her pre-tournament news conference, Kerber said she embraced questions about taking Williams ranking. On court after her win Monday, she reinforced that idea. Lets see if the day will come someday, she said. I will be really happy. Im really trying to focus here, win all the matches, and then well see.Recent history means nothing: Believe it or not, the unseeded Hercog had won two of the previous three matches against Kerber. The Slovenian, ranked No. 120 among WTA players, scored victories in Warsaw in 2010 and Monterrey a year later -- both in straight sets. Kerber now holds a 4-2 head-to-head edge.No service issues: Kerber was all over Hercogs serve, breaking her in each of three opportunities. The German won 10 of 17 points on Hercogs first serve and was 4-for-4 in the second. On her own serve, Kerber won 16 of 18 points. Wholesale NBA Jerseys . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Stitched NBA Jerseys . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/ . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. NBA Jerseys Outlet . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Deontay Wilder was ready, willing and able to defend his heavyweight world title in a mandatory fight against Alexander Povetkin in one of the divisions most anticipated fights on May 21 in Moscow.In fact, Wilder was taking the overseas assignment against easily his most dangerous opponent so seriously that he was spending the final few weeks of his training camp in Sheffield, England, in an effort to minimize the effect of the time change.Wilder, set to make a career-high purse of $4.5 million, was rearing to go. But nine days before the fight, the results of an April 27 random urine test came to light in which Povetkin tested positive for the banned substance meldonium.The fight was called off (meaning no big payday), and a dejected Wilder and his team flew home to Alabama.Not wanting to let a hard training camp go to waste, Wilder vowed to fight as quickly as possible. Thanks to the WBCs granting him permission to stage an optional defense while it figured out what to do with Povetkins mandatory status, his team quickly arranged a fight.That has led Wilder a long way from Moscow and back to the comfy confines of home as he prepares to make his fourth title defense against Chris Arreola, who will be getting his third crack at a world title, in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card on Saturday (Fox, 8 p.m. ET) at Legacy Arena here in Birmingham, Ala.In the 10-round welterweight co-feature, Sammy Vasquez (21-0, 15 KOs), 30, of Monessen, Penn., will face 32-year-old fellow southpaw Felix Diaz (17-1, 8 KOs), a 2008 Dominican Olympic gold medalist. In another televised bout, blue-chip junior middleweight prospect Erickson Lubin (15-0, 11 KOs), 20, of Orlando, Florida, will face Mexicos Ivan Montero (20-1, 8 KOs).The 30-year-old Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs), who will earn $1.5 million for the fight, took a brief break after the Povetkin fight was canceled and said he simply cannot wait to get inside the ring to inflict damage on Arreola, 35, of Riverside, Calif., who is bidding to become the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight title.Ive wanted to hit somebody since May, Wilder, from nearby Tuscaloosa, said at Thursdays final news conference. I got teased but now its time. And I get to do it at home. Theres no better place to do it.Some have been critical of the selection of Arreola, whose purse is $150,000, as the opponent because he has done nothing in recent years to warrant this opportunity. Hes 2-2-1 with a no decision in his last six fights and has not looked good, including in a controversial win over Travis Kauffman in December -- a result changed to a no decision because Arreola tested positive for a banned substance, marijuana.But Arreola (36-4-1, 31 KOs), who got knocked out in two previous world title fights by Vitali Klitschko in 2009 and Bermane Stiverne in 2014, is known for his brawling, crowd-pleasing style, and even though he is a big-time underdog, he figures to make the fight entertaining while it lasts. Wilder has vigorously defended Arreolas selection.We had a few guys that we could have chosen, but there were certain guys we didnt want to give a short-notice opportunity, Wilder said. We needed a certain type of fighter for this job. We need someone who will fight with their heart and take this opportunity and make the most of it. Does he deserve the title shot? No he doesnt. He knows it. But is Chris Arreola the perfect guy for this fight? Of course he is.Chris is lucky to get a third chance at a title. Theres a lot of prospects who would love to fight him just to get a chance to fight for this belt. We needed a special person for this situation and I blessed Chris Arreola with the opportunity. Its time to fight. Hes The Nightmare and Im a knockout artist. What makes me special is the way I knock people out. Go look at the people Ive knocked out and see what Ive given them. You know the words at the end of the night will be And still, heavyweight champion of the world.Arreeola did not get the fight on merit; he got it through his connection to adviser and PBC creator Al Haymon, who also works with Wilder.dddddddddddd Arreola has been dismissed by most as having little chance to win, which is fine with him.See, nobody is talking about me. Nobody is saying anything about me, Arreola said. So there is nothing for me to look at. Everyones focus is on Deontay Wilder, on him and his situation with Povetkin and about Deontay already talking about fighting [titleholder Anthony] Joshua or [world champion Tyson] Fury.My job is to work on [Saturday]. My job is to try to shock the world. I dont care what anybody says. They dont live my life. They dont even throw punches. They probably never got punched in their life.As for Wilder, he comes off as extremely confident, as usual, but there are outside-the-ring issues that could be distractions.After the Povetkin fight was canceled, Wilder and promoter Lou DiBella sued Povetkin and Russian promoter Andrey Ryabinskys World of Boxing in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for breach of contract and at least $5 million in damages related to the cancellation of the bout.Ten days later, Ryabinsky countersued them in the same court for breach of contract and defamation, claiming they unilaterally canceled the fight before the WBC, whose belt Wilder holds, decided what to do. He also claimed Wilder began a smear campaign against himself and Povetkin, who recently met with WBC officials to give his side of the story. Ryabinsky is seeking at least $34.5 million.Wilder said that although he is following the lawsuits and the fallout from the canceled fight, his focus on Arreola has not wavered.I havent been on a close watch of it, Wilder said. Ive definitely been following it. Its ridiculous, if you ask me. Ive got served papers and everything. Im not letting it knock me off my game, my focus. Its just part of life, you know what I mean? Ive been through worse situations in life. Its just a bad storm -- another storm that I have to weather in my life.My skin is tough. Thats in all aspects of life, no matter what. Im very focused. Im always focused. When youre in the hurt business, you have no choice but to stay focused on the test that lies at hand because if youre not focused, you can get knocked out. No one wants to feel what it feels like to be knocked out, wake up in the hospital, dont know what happened. You never want to be that guy that didnt even know the end of the round has ended because youre dazed or youre unconscious.The lawsuits will take time and cost money, and Wilder is likely to soon meet with the WBC to give his take on the canceled fight. He might have to fight Povetkin next depending on what the WBC decides. But, of course, if Wilder does not beat Arreola, the WBCs decision wont make a difference to him.First off, right now its me and Chris Arreola, Wilder said. All the other legal stuff, that can take a hold until after. This is whats next right now. This is what Im focused on. Im not really focused on the legal side of everything. I got a great team. I trust in my team. Im just sitting and waiting for that moment where Povetkin will have his day as well.Said DiBella: We have lawyers, obviously, as do Povetkins people. Were having conversations right now with the WBC about an opportunity literally to be able to do the same thing Povetkins people did. But thats not for Deontay to be worried about right now.There is a fight on [Saturday]. Thats where everyones attention is. The rest of that stuff is going to take care of itself. But, frankly, we respect [the WBCs] process and we want to get our points across. But this is ultimately going to be decided in the U.S. courts. So this is a legal matter. Its nothing that the fighters are worried about right now. Were totally focused on the big event on [Saturday]. ' ' '