s Livorno beat 10-man Atalanta 1-0 to earn its first win | Forum

BRISBANE, Australia -- This was one time Serena Williams didnt mind being pushed into the deep end, to use her own description. Eric Weddle Ravens Jersey . The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum from 2013 into the new season, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open. She extended her winning streak to 22 matches with the emphatic win over the reigning Australian Open champion, making it back-to-back victories over two of her main rivals. She beat four-time major winner Maria Sharapova in straight sets in an intense semifinal, her 14th consecutive win in that frosty duel. She improved to 14-3 against Azarenka, the last person to beat her last year. Before the semifinals, Williams said there was nothing like being "thrown into the deep end straight away." Having come through those challenges, she thought it was the ideal season-opening tournament. "It was a great test. It showed me where my level was," Williams said, looking ahead to the Australian Open. "Im happy I was able to play both Maria and Victoria, because they brought their A games against me. I know now what I need to do for Melbourne -- I look forward to it." The years first major starts Jan. 13 at Melbourne Park and Williams, who won 78 of her 82 matches and collected 11 titles last year, is positioning herself as the favourite to claim a sixth Australian title after winning a tournament featuring six of the top 10 women. Williams has so many trophies now, she said she doesnt know where they all are -- "some are MIA" -- but that doesnt stop her from collecting more. This was her 58th, including 17 majors. Immediately after the loss, Azarenka said she hopes to face Williams again in Melbourne -- as the top two ranked players, they can only meet in the final. "I cant say Im satisfied today, but I want to take the positive, what Ive done today, and build from here towards the next week," Azarenka said. "This is the first week where you really test yourself where your game is at, and from here you can take the positives and the things that you have to work on and really go after that." Williams earned the first break in the seventh game and hit fired consecutive aces to finish off the first set in 37 minutes. She went up a break immediately in the second set before Azarenka won four straight games to take a 4-2 lead. Williams, who was comparatively silent against a screeching opponent for the second straight night, let out a scream of relief and satisfaction after hitting an overhead winner to break back in the seventh game. And she yelled and pumped her arm again after converting a break in the 11th game with a backhand down line. Serving for the championship, Williams started with two aces -- her 10th and 11th -- and then hit a service winner to set up two championship points at 40-15. She fired an unreturnable serve to finish it off. The Williams sisters were hoping to both win a WTA Tour event in the same week for the first time in 15 years, but Ana Ivanovic prevented that when she beat Venus Williams 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. It was the end of a personal drought for second-seeded Ivanovic, who claimed her 12th career singles title and her first since Bali in 2011. Venus Williams was the crowds sentimental favourite after reaching the final of her first tournament since September. After a long struggle with injury and illness, her form in Auckland supported her claim that she is fitter and healthier than she has been in years. The mens final in Brisbane on Sunday will feature two 32-year-old former No. 1s. Top-seeded Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt earned three-set semifinal victories to advance, renewing a rivalry that stretches back to the last millennium. Federer beat No. 8-seeded Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 immediately after Hewitts 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan in sweltering heat topping 40 Celsius (104 F). The pair have met 26 times dating back to 1999, with Federer leading 18-8 including 16 of the last 17. Benjamin Watson Ravens Jersey . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. Deonte Thompson Ravens Jersey . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. http:///...owski-Ravens-Jersey/ . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. MILAN, Italy -- Roma failed to equal the European record of 11 straight league victories to start the season as a goal from former player Alessio Cerci saw it held to a 1-1 draw at Torino in Serie A on Sunday for its first dropped points of the campaign. Rudi Garcias side had already set a Serie A record by winning its opening 10 matches but was looking to equal the best start in any of the top five European leagues, set by English club Tottenham in 1960-61. "Whats important is that the squad played with heart and quality especially in the first half," Garcia said. "I liked it that we tried to win right up until the end. "This is football, we cant win them all, but a draw away from home is not a negative result." Roma moved three points above Juventus and Napoli, who play each other next week. Inter Milan and newly-promoted Hellas Verona are nine points behind after earlier wins against Udinese and Cagliari respectively. Elsewhere, teenage forward Domenico Berardi scored a hat trick to help Sassuolo beat 10-man Sampdoria 4-3, while Lazio fell to a surprise 2-0 defeat at home to Genoa. Roma took the lead in the 28th minute. Federico Balzaretti found Miralem Pjanic on the left side of the area and he cut it back for Kevin Strootman to volley home. Torino levelled shortly after the hour mark when Riccardo Meggiorini robbed the ball off Mehdi Benatia and crossed for Cerci to sidefoot in from close range. It was only the second goal Roma had conceded all season and its first in 743 minutes of football. Meggiorini had gone close to the equalizer minutes earlier with a stunning strike which Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis had to dive at full stretch to save. Earlier, Inter recorded a dominant 3-0 victory at Udinese. Palacio broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when he headed in Saphir Taiders free kick. And it got worse for Udinese four minutes later when Zeljko Brkic completely mistimed his exit and flapped haplessly at Esteban Cambiassos corner, allowing Andrea Ranocchia to volley in at the far post. Fredy Guarin hit the post in the second half before Ricardo Alvarez added a third in stoppage time, slotting Palacios cross into an empty net. "I saw the best Inter performance of the season, even considering the level of the opponent," Inter coach Walter Mazzarri said. "t;We really wanted to come here and impose our game. Chris Canty Ravens Jersey. I always try to instil that into my players, that we must not let ourselves be conditioned by whether were playing at home or not." Verona also dominated on its way to a sixth successive home victory, winning 2-1 against Cagliari, which has now lost three successive matches. "This Verona side has to think only about working well as it is doing," Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini said. "Its right that the fans are dreaming, but we have to think about staying in this league." Luca Toni headed home a corner in the eighth minute to give Verona an early lead and the home side all but sealed the match 12 minutes into the second half when Bosko Jankovic played a one-two with Romulo before curling into the far corner. Daniele Conti volleyed in a consolation goal for Cagliari in stoppage time. In Rome, Lazio seemed in complete control in the first half and Genoa had goalkeeper Mattia Perin to thank for keeping them in the match with several crucial saves, including a spectacular stop to deny Miroslav Klose. Juraj Kucka broke the deadlock on the hour mark with an angled drive and Genoa doubled its lead 10 minutes later when Alberto Gilardino converted a penalty following a Michael Ciani handball. Newly-promoted Sassuolos match at Sampdoria had already been deemed a relegation dogfight and the home side appeared to be in control after Nicola Pozzi had given it a first half lead. However, the match turned at the start of the first half. Berardi fired in the equalizer before putting Sassulo in front from the penalty spot two minutes later after Andrea Costa had tripped the youngster. Costa was shown a second yellow card and dismissed. Antonio Floro Flores appeared to have secured the match but Samp levelled with goals from Eder and Lorenzo De Silvestri. But it wasnt over yet and Berardi secured Sassuolos second win of the season in the final minute, with another penalty after Shkodran Mustafi fouled Diego Farias. In the lunchtime kickoff, Paulinho scored the only goal of the game in the 11th minute as Livorno beat 10-man Atalanta 1-0 to earn its first win in eight matches. Atalanta was forced to play for nearly an hour a man short after Carlos Carmona was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Ibrahima Mbaye. Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '