MELBOURNE, Australia - U. Justin Pugh Jersey .S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan paid tribute to Li Na, describing her as an inspiration for Asian tennis.Nishikori, who is touted as one of the mens stars of the future, said he was very sad about the two-time Grand Slam winners retirement last year due to knee problems. Li was the first player from Asia to win a major.She was big, big leadership for especially Asian tennis, said Nishikori, who reached the U.S. Open final and a career-high No. 5 ranking last year, making him the highest-ranked Asian man in tour history.I think Im getting close to — not really — but getting close to her, Nishikori said after winning his first-round match Tuesday at the Australian Open. Hopefully I can come back to a Grand Slam final again.Earlier in the day, Li had complimented the 25-year-old Nishikori.I think hes an amazing player, said Li, who won the Australian Open last year before retiring in September.Its not easy to be on the top, she said. I know how hard working he (is). So I believe he can win a Grand Slam. Seriously.By Jocelyn Gecker -- http://twitter.com/jgecker___VENUS ON MOTHERHOOD: The news of Li Nas pregnancy has some of the other players talking about motherhood.Maybe there will be twins and a doubles team, joked Venus Williams, who has won 13 Grand Slams doubles titles with her younger sister, Serena.The 34-year-old Williams said she wasnt ready for children yet.I dont know. Im still a big kid. Im still growing up, Williams said in response to a question during her news conference after her first-round win in Australia.She definitely made the right decision, I think, starting a family, Williams said. I hope that one day I can get to that level. Well see.Its such a big job. Its like the biggest job in the world, added Williams, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles. As much responsibility as Ive taken on in my life, that still seems daunting.By Jocelyn Gecker -- http://twitter.com/jgecker___HAIR OF EXPECTANCY: Milos Raonics sculpted hair is a source of conversation around the tennis tours. Its so famous, in fact, it even has its own spoof Twitter accounts — @milosraonichair and @Milos_Hair.And his fellow Canadian, Eugenie Bouchard, has had enough.Asked about his latest haircut following her first-round win at the Australian Open, Bouchard took aim at Raonics obsession with styling.I made fun of his hair last year. I dont know how its different now. I just think he spends way too much time worrying about his hair.More than her?Clearly, she deadpanned.Raonic wasnt being dragged into the debate after his win over Ukrainian qualifier Illya Marchenko on Tuesday.Told what Bouchard said, he politely declined to comment.Next question, really. Im not going to get into this, he said with a smile.By Justin Bergman -- https://twitter.com/justinb3rg___COFFEE OR PIZZA? Serena Williams had one word of advice for Taylor Townsend before the 18-year-old American played at an Australian Open warm-up tournament in Hobart.Win, Serena wrote in a text.I told her Im about to go on court and she just put win, thats it, Townsend said with a laugh.Townsend didnt win her Australian Open debut match against former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday, but she said the advice shes received from Serena and her sister Venus has certainly made an impression in her first couple years on tour.Its hard work to be out here. Its very dog-eat-dog, she said. And to have them in my corner, with them being such great champions, its a great asset for me to have.Serena recently resorted to an unusual tactic to win a match at the Hopman Cup in Perth — she ordered an espresso on court and it helped spark her come-from-behind win over Italian Flavia Pennetta.I didnt know you could order an espresso while youre playing. Thats not something I would do, Townsend said.But shes Serena Williams. If she wanted to get a pizza, she could get a pizza.By Justin Bergman -- https://twitter.com/justinb3rg___Australian Open Scene follows tennis Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne as seen by journalists from The Associated Press. It will be updated throughout the day. Mason Cole Cardinals Jersey .J. -- While Martin Brodeur wasnt willing to say he stole one for the New Jersey Devils against the Columbus Blue Jackets, almost everyone else was. Benson Mayowa Cardinals Jersey . - Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has signed with WME-IMG, saying the sports management powerhouse will help maximize the value of my brand.ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- IceCaps rookie goaltender Eric Comrie says he can have fun in just about every situation on the ice -- even a game in which 15 goals are scored between the two teams. Despite being down by four goals after the first period and rallying back to tie the game, the IceCaps lost 8-7 in overtime to the Springfield Falcons in American Hockey League action Friday. Comrie made 36 saves in his first pro game, after taking over from goalie Tyler Beskorowany 9:30 into the first period. "It was a fun game, no matter what," Comrie said. "Hockey is a fun sport and I have fun every time I go on the ice. It was an incredible crowd out there." IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge said there are positives to be taken from the rally back from his team. "Being down 5-1 in the first period, and then to manage to get the lead in that game really speaks volumes of the character in that room," McCambridge said. McCambridge spoke highly of his back-up goalie, saying Comrie was "real sharp" in net. "Coming in under those circumstances, to come into that game against an excellent team, I thought he performed really well," he said. Springfields Sean Collins won the game in overtime, scoring with a quick wrister at the 2:50 mark of the extra frame. Jack Skille scored four goals in a five-point performance to lead the Falcons (43-20-6), while Carter Camper and Matt Taormina also scored. Patrice Cormier scored twice for St. Johns (41-22-5). Andrew Gordon, John Albert, Jerome Samson, Kyle MacKinnon and Carl Klingberg had a goal apiece. Down 6-4 in the second period, the IceCaps replied with three straight goals -- two in the second from Klingberg and Samson, and one from Albert at 6:25 of the thirdd -- to make it 7-6 for the home team. Andre Smith Cardinals Jersey. But the Falcons tied the game again as Skille, with the extra attacker on the ice after Springfield pulled its goalie, scored on a wrist shot with 16.1 seconds left. The Falcons struck first, when an attempt to throw the puck out front from behind the net went in for Camper. The puck banked in off Beskorowany at the 7:01 mark of the first period, on the power play. Springfield doubled the lead when Skilles booming slapshot from the faceoff dot found the net high blocker 8:47 into the first period. Taormina scored a slapshot high glove for the Falcons from the left faceoff dot, beating Beskorowany for the last goal of his night 9:30 into the first. Comrie took over in net for the IceCaps after that. St. Johns closed the gap when Cormier was gifted a puck on a perfect pass from behind the net while waiting in the slot, and he buried it 15:08 into the first. Skille tapped in a cross-crease pass at the 16:34 mark of the first period to make it 4-2 Falcons. Sixteen seconds later, Bass scored a near-identical goal, finishing a cross-crease play on the same post. MacKinnon decreased St. Johns deficit to two goals at 17:25 of the first, scoring for the IceCaps as he finished off a 2-on-1 with Cormier. Cormier added his second of the game, scoring into a practically open net at 17:50. Gordon pulled the IceCaps within one, scoring from the faceoff dot with a high wrister 1:52 into the second period, but Skille completed his hat trick 2:46 into the second, beating a knocked over and sprawling Comrie in net. McKenna stopped 17 or 23 shots for the Falcons through two periods. Jeremy Smith made 12 saves in relief in the third. IceCaps starter Beskorowany stopped five of eight shots. Cheap Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Falcons Jerseys Cheap Ravens Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Cheap Cowboys JerseysCheap Broncos Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Cheap Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Jerseys ' ' '