Breitmann Tuning » k, Pliskova entered the match as a more than

Veteran North Melbourne forward Drew Petrie continues to enjoy the strong backing of coach Brad Scott despite his run of indifferent form.By his own admission, the 33-year-olds return of 19 goals from 15 games this season has been below expectations.But Scott left little doubt where he stands on Petries place in the AFL side when asked if he had considered dropping him.Not for one second, Scott replied.But (our forward) unit hasnt been working to the level that we would expect (of late) ... Drews only a part of that. Hes a significant part but hes only a part nonetheless.So were looking at all of our forward line players to improve and to work a bit better together but the baseline of Drews game is the way he defends and that is just incredibly underrated outside our football club. But its incredibly highly rated inside it.Any external comments about Drew are irrelevant to us.North have been in free fall recently, losing five of six games to go from top of the ladder after 12 rounds to eighth heading into round 17.The Roos face an improving Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, with the Power their nearest challenger three games behind in ninth.Key trio Daniel Wells, Jarrad Waite and Nick Dal Santo return from injury and illness in a significant boost to the side.But Scott confirmed emerging forward Mason Wood will miss up to two months of football after undergoing knee surgery.Site Asics Pas Cher . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Asics France Soldes .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. http://www.franceasics.fr/ . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Chaussure Asics Pas Cher . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Acheter Asics Pas Cher . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set.NEW YORK -- A year after she was stunned in a US Open semifinal, it happened again to Serena Williams.This time the upset was crafted by No. 10 seed?Karolina Pliskova, a hard-hitting 24-year-old from the Czech Republic, who ended Williams most recent run at history 6-2, 7-6 (5).Williams, who double-faulted on match point, said her left knee, which she thought was injured during a second-round match, was a factor Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Im not going to sit here and make an excuse, the 34-year-old Williams said.Williams coach wasnt so diplomatic.Since the start, it was terrible, Patrick Mouratoglou said. She was slow, very, very slow. Much slower than usual.Mouratoglou said the injury obviously affected Williams on the court, and she tried to compensate by playing a riskier style than usual.At the end she tried to go for the winner on every shot, Mouratoglou said. This with an injury. Even if she wins the second [set], its not the point; shes not going to win the third. She cannot move. There is no match.While Williams is acknowledged to have the greatest serve ever in the womens game, it was second best against Pliskova, who had seven aces and won 84 percent of her first-serve points.America probably hates me because I beat Venus and Serena, Pliskova said after the match.Pliskova became only the fourth singles player to beat Serena and Venus Williams in the same Grand Slam event. The others --?Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin -- all retired as multimajor champions.Serena Williams vigorously disputed the idea she was tired after playing her quarterfinal match Wednesday.My mind was just a little bit everywhere, but it was what it was, Williams said. Yeah, serious left knee problems. But fatigue had nothing to do with it. If I was tired, I need to finnd a new career.ddddddddddddI definitely was not beat up after my quarterfinal match.Pliskovas performance belied her experience. She was playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal, while it was Williams?33rd.I had a goal today: to beat Serena, Pliskova said in her on-court interview. And thats what I did.I dont believe it. Actually, I do believe it. I knew I could beat anyone if Im playing my game.The tantalizing laundry list of lifetime achievements Williams had within her reach -- an Open-era record 23 Grand Slam titles and an unprecedented seventh US Open championship -- will have to wait until next year.The No. 1 ranking, which she has held for 186 consecutive weeks, will now go to Angelique Kerber when the new rankings are released Monday.According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Pliskova entered the match as a more than 4-to-1 underdog.Pliskova will meet the No. 2-seeded Kerber, who defeated?Caroline Wozniacki?6-4, 6-3?in the second semifinal, in the Saturday afternoon championship final.Williams looked flat and uninspired throughout the match, possibly due to the fact she was playing for a second consecutive night. Ultimately, that was her responsibility. She asked the USTA to schedule her first match for last Tuesday, which meant playing the quarterfinals and semifinals on successive nights.Coming off a difficult match with No. 5 seed Simona Halep that she won in three sets, Williams?hit only 20 winners, as opposed to 31 unforced errors, on Thursday. She also had a difficult time reading Pliskovas serve.If Im a professional and I cant recover, well thats that, Williams said.Information from ESPNs Jane McManus was used in this report. ' ' '