News & Neuigkeiten » is the type of game, and Smith

SHANGHAI -- Novak Djokovic certainly appears to be a different player on court these days: Smiling after shanking balls instead of screaming, humming songs instead of hurling rackets.And thats when hes having an off day.Djokovic was sluggish and error-prone early in his quarterfinal match against Mischa Zverev at the Shanghai Masters on Friday, but he maintained his composure and fought back to win 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.The top-ranked Serb has said in recent weeks that hes trying to find more balance in his life and reduce some of the pressure hes felt on court this season. Part of that entails staying calmer during matches, particularly when things arent going well.In the first set against Zverev, things couldnt have gone much worse. Djokovic piled up 18 unforced errors to only four for Zverev, a German qualifier ranked 110th, and connected on less than half of his first serves.He started to find his game in the second set, but Zverev continued to press him with his serve-and-volley style, forcing more miscues.I wasnt striking the ball very well, Djokovic said. I was quite flat with my feet, so he got me where he wanted to get me, and to stand still at the baseline.(Zverev) was fighting. He was focused. He gave his best, and he was a few points from winning.Despite his rash of unforced errors -- he finished with 37, including six double-faults -- Djokovic didnt glower at his coaches in the stands or scream at himself. Not once.Instead, he hummed a little song.It was toward the end of the match, he said of his musical interlude. Instead of the occasional tantrum that I used to have -- I hope its behind me -- I would switch that vibration and transform it in a tune.The song that soothed him? Djokovic couldnt quite recall at this post-match news conference.Im trying to remember. Which one was it? he said. It was a famous song, actually.Djokovic completed a career milestone by winning the French Open this year, but the following months only brought frustration, injuries and discouraging losses.He was mentally exhausted and decided he needed a new mind-set, prioritizing happiness on court, not winning.Djokovic even hinted this week it could bring about a coaching change in the new year. Asked Thursday about the status of his coach, Boris Becker, he said they planned to finish off the rest of the season together. As for next season, he added, We still havent talked about it.Becker did not accompany Djokovic to Shanghai.Djokovic next plays 15th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut in the semifinals. The Spaniard beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4.Second-seeded Andy Murray played with the same focus and sharpness he has displayed all week, easily defeating 11th-seeded David Goffin 6-2, 6-2.I had to stay strong there in the second, because physically, although it was a 6-2, 6-2 match, it wasnt easy because a lot of the points were tough, Murray said.Murray hasnt been broken in three matches so far in Shanghai, and hasnt dropped a set in his last nine matches going back to mid-September. Hes going for back-to-back titles in China after winning the China Open last week.In the semis, Murray will play Gilles Simon, who beat Jack Sock 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the days last quarterfinal.Simon and Sock combined for 80 winners in the hard-fought, two hour, 40 minute match, including a tricky, between-the-legs lob by Sock in the first set that floated over the Frenchman and landed just inside the baseline.Sock had been dominating the match early on, but took a tumble late in the second set after slipping on a wet spot and bloodied his hand. He lost the next two games to drop the set and let Simon back in the match.China Jerseys Stitched . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Fake China Jerseys . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. China Jerseys Wholesale . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The numbers strongly suggest they are two of the four -- maybe five -- best teams in the country, but after Saturday either No. 3 Michigan or No. 2 Ohio State will be on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff race.The Wolverines and Buckeyes play for the 113th time, at Ohio Stadium, and the stakes have rarely been higher, and rarely have both teams been quite so good. This will be the 11th time both teams meet ranked in the top five and only the second time they have both been in the top three of the AP poll.Michigan (10-1) and Ohio State (10-1) are both outscoring opponents by 31 points per game. The Wolverines has outgained their opponents by 205.4 yards per game. The Buckeyes have outgained their opponents by 214.1 yards per game.Conventional wisdom is that the defenses will have the upper-hand at the Horseshoe.Some of the matchups that could decide The Game:MICHIGANS PASS RUSH VS. OHIO STATES PASS PROTECTIONThe Wolverines pressure quarterbacks as well as any team in the country (36 sacks). Mostly on the strength of a talented defensive line that has solid depth. DE Taco Charlton has been especially effective off the edge and DT Ryan Glasgow gets good push inside. Defensive coordinator Don Brown will mix in blitzes, often using versatile LB Jabrill Peppers.Ohio States offensive line, led by center Pat Elflein, has had a good season protecting quarterback J.T. Barrett, except for one particularly poor performance in the Buckeyes loss at Penn State. Ohio State allowed six sacks in that game and 11 in its other 10.What happened in Happy Valley? Too many obvious passing downs left OTs Isaiah Prince and Jamarco Jones exposed. Avoid those and Ohio State can negate or at least mitigate what looks like an advantage for Michigan.PEPPERS VS. BARRETT AND H-BACK CURTIS SAMUELWhat makes Peppers so valuable is his ability to be used in so many ways. At 205-pounds and with excellent speed, he is built more like a defensive back than a linebacker.He could be the perfect spy on Barrett, who is one of the smartest and most effective running quarterbacks in the country (722 yards rushing and eight touchdowns). Barrett is not particularly fast or elusive, but he is adept at finding space and picking his way through defenses, especially on designed running plays.ddddddddddddPeppers, who is third in the Big Ten with 15 tackles for loss, is one of the most explosive athletes in the country. Letting him lock onto Barrett could help shut down a key part of Ohio States offense.Then again, maybe it is best to have Peppers follow Samuel? The Buckeyes junior is in some ways the offensive equivalent to Peppers. He lines up all over the field and Ohio State gets the ball into his hands in lots of different ways. Samuel is the only player in the country with at least 600 yards rushing (650) and receiving (790).The best way to attack Michigans defense has been on the edges and both Barrett and Samuel present good options to do just that.Most likely Peppers will spend his game as he usually does, being asked to handle numerous assignments from series to series and down to down. But it will be fun to see how often he and Samuel directly cross paths.MICHIGAN RB DEVEON SMITH VS. OHIO STATE MLB RAEKWON MCMILLANLast week against Indiana, when the Wolverines passing game was bogged down behind backup quarterback John OKorn, it was Smith who wore down the Hoosiers.The status of starter Wilton Speight (left, non-throwing shoulder) is again uncertain so figure another game where Michigan will be limited in the passing game.Smith is not a make-you-miss runner. He runs to and often through contact.McMillan is the quarterback of Ohio States defense and its leading tackles (71). He has had a good -- not great -- junior season but this is the type of game, and Smith is the type of runner that could have him in the middle of much of the action.WIDE RECEIVERS VS. CORNERBACKSIt would be hard to make a college football matchup this season with four cornerbacks who have played better than Ohio States Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore and Michigans Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling.They have all performed at All-America levels.Michigan seems to have the edge at wide receiver, with Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh, but both quarterbacks should expect small windows in which to throw and few deep shots available.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '