LONDON - In a potential blow to Switzerlands Davis Cup ambitions, Roger Federer pulled out of the ATP Finals less than one hour before his title match against Novak Djokovic on Sunday, handing a third straight title at the year-end event to the top-ranked Serb.
[b]Ifeadi Odenigbo Jersey[/b] .The 17-time Grand Slam champion said he hurt his back in the nearly three-hour semifinal win over Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka on Saturday night in which Federer saved four match points.Unfortunately Im not match fit, the 33-year-old Swiss told the crowd at the O2 Arena. I tried everything I could last night, also today: painkillers, treatment, rest, so forth, warm-up, until the very end. But I just cant compete at this level with Novak. It would be too risky at my age to do this right now and I hope you understand.Fans appeared to be supportive with applause for Federer when he spoke.The Swiss is set to play for Switzerland in the Davis Cup final against France, starting Friday. If he recovers in time, Federer will be chasing the only major trophy still eluding him. France hosts the match in the northern city of Lille and has opted for clay, a slow surface that could further thwart Federers chances to perform well.I dont think he was calculating and trying to save his body for Davis Cup final, said Djokovic. This is probably the biggest match of the season next to the final of a Grand Slam. I spoke to him, its a question mark for the Davis Cup final as well.It was only the third time in Federers career that he withdrew, each time due to a back injury, following walkovers in 2008 at the Paris Masters and in 2012 in Doha.Following back problems that ruined his 2013 season, Federer enjoyed a superb resurgence this season, losing to Djokovic in an epic Wimbledon final and adding five new titles to his collection.Federer, the most successful player at the ATP Finals with six wins, also made it to the semifinals at the Australian Open and the U.S. Open and won his 23rd Masters title in Shanghai last month. He remained on course for the year-end No. 1 spot until this week and had dropped just one set on the way to the final.I think you have some recurrent things coming back from time to time, the second-ranked Federer said. Its not that much of a surprise. I must say Ive been feeling really good for over a year now, which has been not a surprise, but its been very nice. So this back spasm, whatever it might be, its just not a fun thing to have during the day. Its just uncomfortable. But Im positive and Im hopeful that its going to go away very soon.Djokovic became the first player since Ivan Lendl from 1985-87 to win the year-end event three times in a row but was not in the mood for celebrations.You never like to win, especially these big matches against big rivals, with the retirement, said the four-time champion.Unbeaten on indoor courts in more than two years, Djokovic finished the season No. 1 for the third time in four years, becoming the seventh man to accomplish the feat at least three times. Besides winning his seventh Grand Slam title at the All England Club, Djokovic was also runner-up at the French Open, and won six titles.Right now Im at the pinnacle of my career, he said, adding that winning at Roland Garros would be one his main goals in future years. I physically feel very fit. As long as it is like that, Im going to use these years in front of me to fight for No. 1 of the world and the biggest titles in the sport.Instead of facing Federer, Djokovic played an exhibition with Andy Murray before a doubles match pitting Murray and John McEnroe against Tim Henman and Pat Cash.Federers withdrawal marked the first walkover in a final in the tournaments 45-year history.
[b]Aaron Neary Jersey[/b] .C. -- Jackson Whistle made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-0 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action.
[b]Kevin Zeitler Jersey[/b] . But last years runner-up Jarkko Nieminen crashed out despite winning the first set against Denis Istomin. Istomin fired 10 aces and won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to even his career record against Nieminen at 3-3.SAN ANTONIO -- No cramps, no problems for LeBron James. And with their superstar making it to the finish this time, the Miami Heat bounced back from a loss, just as they always do in the playoffs. "Obviously, having No. 6 in the game at the end was a plus for us," Dwyane Wade said. James had 35 points and 10 rebounds in a powerful comeback from the cramps that knocked him out of the opener, as the Heat tied the NBA Finals with a 98-96 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 Sunday night. Chris Bosh made the go-ahead 3-pointer on a pass from James with 1:18 remaining for the Heat, who have won 13 straight following a loss in the post-season. Just like last year, they rebounded after losing Game 1 to the Spurs. Bosh had 18 points for the Heat, who are headed home for Game 3 Tuesday night. James played more than 37 minutes, making 14 of 22 shots. He was 1 for 4 with three turnovers in a shaky first quarter, then made 11 of his next 13. After two days of enduring criticism for not finishing the game and getting suggestions on how to avoid cramps, James changed the subject. "What happened on Thursday was Thursday," James said. "My whole focus was how I was going to try to help this team even this up and just try to make some plays." He had a key strip of Tony Parker down the stretch, playing a dominant game on both ends as if he had something to prove. As usual, James found a way to silence his haters. He had 11 points in the second quarter, helping Miami erase an 11-point deficit early in the period. The game was played within a margin of a few points from there, and the Spurs missed a chance to seize control in the fourth quarter when Parker and Tim Duncan missed four straight free throws when they had a two-point lead. James then made a 3-pointer and two free throws to put Miami in position to win. Parker scored 21 points and Duncan had 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs, who had won eight straight at home by at least 15 points. "Down the end there they executed really well," Duncan said. "LeBron made some great passes and guys made open shots. We had the same result in the first game. They kind of flipped it in this one." The game was played in comfortable conditions inside the AT&T Center, where an air conditioning failure in Game 1 sent temperatures soaring to about 90 degrees. The broken circuit breaker was fixed by Friday afternoon, and it was much cooler inside thhe arena.
[b]E.J. Gaines Jersey[/b]. James had the toughest time with the heat Thursday, needing treatment midway through the fourth quarter before eventually having to leave for good. He had plenty of time to recover, with the two days off between Games 1 and 2. He changed only a little of his routine, taking an 8 a.m. yoga class Sunday morning and switching to a shorter pair of tights. He personally erased a 62-56 San Antonio lead by scoring eight points in less than a minute, and his 14 points in the third quarter had Miami down only 78-77 heading to the fourth. "For me, once I get into a good groove, I feel like everything is going to go in," James said. For a time, everything did. Then he switched to being a passer at the end, finding Bosh in the corner for the shot that made it 95-93. Wade and Rashard Lewis each scored 14 points for the Heat, who also dropped Game 1 of the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City two years ago. They have won five straight series after dropping the opening game. The Spurs were in good position, withstanding James assault long enough to lead by one with under 2 minutes to play. But they were shut out from there until Manu Ginobilis 3-pointer as time expired. "LeBron with the ball did a pretty good job at his end and we had to be really perfect at the other end and we didnt," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We didnt take advantage of things. We made bad decisions." And it didnt help them that they had to deal with James at the end of this one. Ginobili finished with 19 points for the Spurs, whose 18 points in the fourth quarter were half the 36 they scored in the opener. "We have a very competitive group and you have two days to commiserate how that game went down," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It was frustrating, painful going through that for two days and now we have to manage the other emotion." After their sensational finish to Game 1, the Spurs picked up right where they left off, making 10 of their first 15 shots. They opened an 11-point lead early in the second before James got going. He had three straight Miami baskets, and a follow shot later in the period gave the Heat their first lead at 34-33. Notes: Parker has 1,026 assists in the post-season, moving past Michael Jordan (1,022) for eighth place on the career post-season list. He also passed Jordans Hall of Fame teammate, Scottie Pippen, for 13th on the career scoring list with 3,655 points.
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