offence and I know fans will be very excited to see him bac

NEW YORK -- When she stepped on the court Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Angelique Kerber?already had achieved a childhood dream.When the new WTA rankings come out Monday, the 28-year-old German will be the WTAs No. 1-ranked player. That came courtesy of Karolina Pliskova, who earlier stunned Serena Williams in straight sets.It ended Williams run of 186 consecutive weeks at the top of womens tennis -- leaving her tied, appropriately enough, with another German, Steffi Graf, for the all-time record.How do you play a major semifinal match 20 minutes after youve reached the pinnacle of a sport youve played since the age of 3? It would have been easy to revel in the moment, take a moment to reflect on the wonder of joining a most exclusive peer group that features only 22.Or would the ascension to No. 1 free the left-hander to play a bolder, bigger game?Kerber chose Option 2, controlling Caroline Wozniacki with ease, 6-4, 6-3.In a game featuring two of tennis best defenders, Kerber overpowered the former No. 1 player and two-time US Open finalist. And now, shes into her third major final of the season.I was watching the [first] match a little bit in the end, Kerber admitted in her on-court interview. I was trying to focus and not think too much about that.I think [Graf] will be proud of me to be the next one after her.Kerber becomes, by three years, the oldest player to be ranked No. 1 for the first time; Jennifer Capriati was 25 in 2000. Kerber is the first new No. 1 in four years, going back to Victoria Azarenka.Its just another example of her peculiar powers of perseverance.When the year began, none of this seemed a likely scenario. Kerber finished 2015 ranked No. 10 and had advanced to only one Grand Slam semifinal in 32 career events.But back in January, she found herself in Melbourne, ripping through to the final, where she beat Serena in the seasons first Grand Slam 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. There was a predictable swoon -- Kerber was one and done in Mardrid, Rome and Paris -- before she regained her footing.In the Wimbledon final, Serena returned the favor, beating Kerber 7-5, 6-3.Pliskova was probably the only one who didnt want to see a third Williams-Kerber final this year in a Grand Slam. A single match, with the No. 1 ranking on the line, would have generated a monumental buzz.Instead, Kerber will have to be content with an opportunity to win her second major of the season -- the second of her career -- and lock down WTA Player of the Year honors.What kind of No. 1 will she be?Kerber is polite, generous and carries herself with poise.It says here, shell last longer than Mats Wilander, who held out for only seven weeks in 1988. Or Ana Ivanovic (three weeks in 2008) or Dinara Safina (two weeks in 2009).But there is almost no chance shell reign for 186 consecutive weeks.And that should be the big takeaway here.As well begin to realize in retrospect, Serenas command of the top spot, at the age of 34, was nothing short of amazing.Consider this number, produced by ESPN Stats & Information:In the more than three years she was No. 1, Williams won more titles (24) than lost matches (19).Fun fact: Kerber is the first lefty No. 1 since Monica Seles (1996), and only the third overall, after Martina Navratilova.Against Wozniacki, whose ranking has fallen to No. 74, Kerber was comfortably dominant, winning 65 of 117 points. She broke Wozniackis serve no fewer than five of 10 times.The only sign of nerves? When Kerber tried to serve out the match at 5-2.On match point, Kerbers forehand was called good, but looked out. Wozniacki, for whatever reason, did not challenge. The replay, however, showed the shot was out.Its just incredible, Kerber said. Yeah, its a great day. I just tried to focus on this match.To be in the final, to be No. 1 in the world, it sounds amazing. Cheap Adidas Shoes . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Adidas Shoes Clearance . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. http://www.cheapadidas.net/ . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Cheap Adidas Shoes Online . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Cheap Adidas Shoes Wholesale . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.Former B.C. Lions receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux is back with his old CFL team. Arceneaux agreed to a two-year, $280,000 deal with the Lions on Monday. "We are very pleased to have Emmanuel returning to the club," said Lions GM Wally Buono in a team statement released Tuesday. "He brings experience, leadership and speed to our offence and I know fans will be very excited to see him back on the field in a Lions uniform." With incentives, the contract could be worth as much as $170,000 per season. The Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos all showed interest in Arceneaux, who left the Lions in 2010 to pursue a career in the NFL.dddddddddddd "I am honoured to be back with the Lions," said Arceneaux from his home in Louisiana. "My last meaningful game as a pro came in the playoffs back in 2010 and it will be a great feeling to get back on the field with everyone in BC. Ive missed playing in Vancouver, Ive missed the fans and Im ready to start having fun again." Prior to his departure to the NFL, Arceneaux spent two seasons with the Lions collecting 130 receptions for 1,972 yards and 12 touchdowns in 36 games. ' ' '