Dein erstes Forum » yant said. I remember being Andrew Wigg

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Sam Querrey didnt play his best tennis Monday — except when it counted. Querrey got two key services breaks to beat Spains Pere Riba 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open, the final tuneup before next weeks U.S. Open. "My years been pretty average — a lot of two steps forward, one step back," Querrey said. "I had that same problem last year, but I was able to get it going in this tournament. Ive played well here in the past, so Im going to do my best to keep it up." The 26-year-old American, who had advanced to the semifinals at Winston-Salem the last two years, got a mini-break to win the first-set tiebreaker. Querrey, ranked 56th, then closed out the match with another service break to advance. "I didnt think I played great," said Querrey, who was ranked as high as 17th in the world in 2011. "I served pretty well, and hit the big forehand. I did the right things on the big points, but I still need to clean everything up a little bit." Querrey will next face childhood friend Steve Johnson, both California natives, in a second-round match Tuesday at the Wake Forest Tennis Center. Earlier, Belgian qualifier David Goffin defeated defending champion Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-3, 6-4 Monday to extend his winning streak to 23 consecutive matches. Goffin won his first ATP Tour title last month in Kitzbuhel, Austria. He lost in the first round to Andy Murray at Wimbledon and then won ATP Challenger Tour events in the Netherlands, Poland and Finland. "At the beginning of the summer, I didnt expect these results," said Goffin, who will face Argentinas Leonardo Mayer in the second round. "Now, Im still continuing to win. Im pretty happy with the way Im playing at the moment. What can I say?" After ending the month by winning in Austria, Goffin — whose world ranking has climbed from 106th to 62nd during the run — won back-to-back qualifying matches in straight sets to make the main draw for the Winston-Salem Open. "The conditions were tough today — the humidity made for a really difficult match," said Goffin, who lost to Melzer in four sets in the opening round of the French Open last May. "After the first set, I think he was really frustrated. He started making some mistakes. I took my chances, and it turned out really well." Also, Frances Paul-Henri Mathieu overcame a brief rain delay to beat Robby Ginepri of the U.S. 6-3, 7-5; Adrian Mannarino of France downed Bosnias Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-2; Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan beat Marcos Giron of the U.S. 6-4, 6-4; Canadas Frank Dancevic battled to a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Brazils Thomaz Bellucci; Polands Jerzy Janowicz downed Argentinas Carlos Berlocq 6-1, 6-4; Argentinas Federico Delbonis beat Slovakias Martin Klizan 7-6 (5), 6-4; and Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands defeated Kazakhstans Andrey Golubev 7-6 (5), 6-3. Fernando Valenzuela Dodgers Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have signed free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn. 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I will go into more detail when digging into the Canucks Off-Season Game Plan, which will be coming earlier this year since they are part of the non-playoff contingent, there are some reasons to think this is a favourable situation for President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden and whomever he selects to be the new general manager.MINNEAPOLIS - All these years, Kobe Bryant has been chasing Michael Jordan.The bar doesnt get any higher than that. And after Bryant passed Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list in the Los Angeles Lakers 100-94 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night, he offered a glimpse into the relentless mentality it takes to run down a legend.I think the competitive nature is something that frightens a lot of people when you peel back truly whats inside of a person to compete and be at that high level, Bryant said. It scares a lot of people that are just comfortable being average.Bryant has been compared to Jordan for a long time, in part because he dared to chase him. Where Bryant is every bit Jordans equal is in the tenacity that has kept him going through a torn Achilles tendon, bone-on-bone friction in his knees and now the painful rebuilding of a proud franchise.His competitiveness drives him in the off-season to work to be able to play at the level he plays, Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said. His competitiveness during the games to dominate offensively and defensively and then his competitiveness of wanting to win. Hell challenge teammates if need be and will do whatever it takes to try to get that edge.Its the only way Bryant knows. And he learned by studying the best.I think when you look at Michaels (Hall of Fame) speech, Bryant said, referring to a speech in which Jordan cited those who he perceived to have gotten in his way over the years. People really got a chance to see how he ticks and it scared a lot of people, right? But thats just the reality of it. You cant get to a supreme level without channeling the dark side a little bit.Bryants willingness to embrace the darkness has, in his own eyes, cast him as one of the leagues villains. It also likely ensures that his farewell tour, whenever that comes, will not be of the warm and fuzzy variety that New York Yankees star Derek Jeter enjoyed last season.Derek and I are different people, Bryant said. He hides it a lot better but I guarantee you our competitive spirit is exactly the same. He just hides it better or chooses to hide it. I dont choose to hide it.Then again, maybe he overestimates the animosity out there. Maybe thats another mind trick that he plays on himself to get him out of bed in the morning and to the gym for another workout.When No. 24 stepped to the free-throw line midway through the second quarter on Sunday night — with 5:24 remaining and 24 seconds on the shot clock, to be exact — needing both shots to move past Jordan, a Lakers-heavy crowd at Target Center stood and serenaded him.ddddddddddddCell phone flashes flickered as the first and second shots swished through and the Timberwolves stopped the game, with owner Glen Taylor presenting Bryant the game ball to a thunderous ovation.Im used to being the villain, man, Bryant said with a sheepish smile. To have moments like that, when youre not expecting a hug and you get a hug, this feels pretty damn good.Once it was finally over, the weight lifted and Bryant found another gear against a young Timberwolves team that includes 19-year-olds Andrew Wiggins — the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft — and Zach LaVine, who wears No. 8 in honour of Bryant.He finished the night with 26 points, including a dagger of a 3-pointer over Wiggins outstretched hand with just over a minute to play that helped seal the win.I witnessed greatness tonight, a star-struck Wiggins said. A living legend passed Michael Jordan, who everyone thinks is the best player of all-time. Thats a big accomplishment. Im glad I was there to witness it.Wiggins was 1 when a wide-eyed Bryant entered the league in 1996, and that wasnt lost on him in the afterglow on Sunday night.It was a strange feeling, Bryant said. I remember being Andrew Wiggins. I remember playing against Michael my first year. To be here tonight and playing against him and seeing the baby face and the little footwork and little technique things that hes going to be much, much sharper at as time goes on. It was like looking at a reflection of myself 19 years ago. It was pretty cool.Now that Bryant has bumped Jordan from the scoring podium, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone (36,928) are in front of him.Even if he remains in third place, which appears likely, it wont really matter. Vaulting over Jordan, whose Jumpman logo is as synonymous with the NBA as Jerry Wests silhouette, is its own reward.Maybe thats why the insatiable Bryant wore the unfamiliar smile of satisfaction on Sunday night. Hes been trying for almost two decades. And now he can finally say hes beaten Jordan at something.It has a certain finality to it, he said. When moments like this come around, youre really overjoyed by it. At the same time, you know the end is pretty near, which is fine, too. ' ' '