November 16, 2018 10:51 AM EET
LONDON -- Rod Laver figured Novak Djokovic might very well be the player, and this might very well be the year, that would finally end his distinction as the last man to win a calendar-year Grand Slam. Cheap Nike Air Max Free Shipping .Its a tough road, Laver said Saturday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from his home in California. Certainly, I thought he could be the guy to do it.Laver tuned in on TV to see some of the match that ended Djokovics bid, a 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5) loss to Sam Querrey of the United States in the third round of Wimbledon.Winning all four major tennis tournaments -- the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open -- in a single season has only been accomplished by two men. Don Budge, an American, did it in 1938, and Laver, an Australian, pulled it off twice, in 1962 as an amateur and in 1969 as a professional.Djokovic came to the All England Club after collecting four consecutive major titles, something no man had achieved since Laver all those years ago. But Djokovic did it over the past two seasons, not all in one.So the Serb was halfway to the true Grand Slam.When he won the French Open, I thought: `Wimbledon, hes won it twice in a row, why wouldnt he come in confident and be able to win again? So I put him down as the favorite to win Wimbledon, Laver said. And then its a matter of controlling nerves and being healthy when you get to the last one.As he watched the match against Querrey, Laver said, he was struck by Djokovics lower-than-usual level of play.I dont know whether it was the pressure or whether he wasnt feeling up to power. I dont know what his situation was health-wise, but it didnt look like he was ready to play a big match. The rain didnt help. But he wasnt playing his best tennis, and Querrey kept the pressure on with that serve.Laver was particularly caught off-guard by the way Djokovic meekly fell into a two-set deficit before play was halted Friday night because of rain.He looked like he was hardly trying, Laver said. I was a little critical of his second set.Laver said he was impressed by Querreys play and wonders whether this could springboard the American to bigger things.Querrey, 28, never has been to the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament.Hes gone and taken himself to another level. When you start beating the No. 1 player, you jump into another level and maybe his confidence will start to soar and drive him into a lot of new things.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich href="http://www.airmaxfreeshipping.com/" target="_blank">Cheap Air Max Shoes With Free Shipping . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Wholesale Air Max Cheap . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. http://www.airmaxfreeshipping.com/ .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. PHILADELPHIA -- For the Philadelphia Phillies, its hittin season.Jerad Eickhoff pitched neatly into the eighth inning, Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco hit two-run homers and the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Monday.After struggling offensively much of the year, the Phillies have swung the bats better than any team in baseball the past couple weeks. This is the time of the year former manager Charlie Manuel likes to call hittin season.The Phillies have double-digit hits in 10 of the last 13 games and lead the majors with a .321 batting average during that stretch. Their first eight hits against Joel De La Cruz (0-2) went for extra bases.I cant complain about the hitting anymore, manager Pete Mackanin said. The hitting continued and its great to see. When you see a pitcher not pitching well, you have to take advantage of it.Eickhoff (6-9) gave up two runs and five hits, striking out eight in 7 2/3 innings to win for the fourth time in five decisions.I feel good mechanically and mentally, Eickhoff said. Just try not to change anything.After sweeping three games in Arizona and taking two of three from the defending World Series champion Royals, the Phillies didnt let up against the worst team in the NL.They jumped on De La Cruz in the second inning. Six extra-base hits led to a season-high seven runs in the inning.Cameron Rupp and Tommy Joseph hit doubles. Cesar Hernandez ripped an RBI triple. Herrera hit one out to deep right-center for his 10th homer. After Peter Bourjos hit a double, Franco hit his 15th homer to left-center to make it 7-1.I think confidence breeds success, Rupp said. Our confidence is through the roof.Erick Aybar lined a solo shot out to right for a 1-0 lead in the first. Aybar snapped a streak of 217 at-bats without a homer. He haadnt gone deep since Oct. Air Max Free Shipping. . 3, 2015 for the Angels against the Rangers.De La Cruz allowed seven runs -- four earned -- and nine hits in six innings in his second career start.We had a tough inning. He had a tough inning, Braves manager Brian Snitker said. He got the ball up a lot. Some balls got hit hard. But to his credit, he got us through six innings.Eickhoff, who had the longest outing of his career, hasnt given up more than three runs in seven straight starts. Hes lowered his ERA from 4.07 to 3.30 in that span.Hes a bulldog, Mackanin said. He goes out there to win and works extremely hard.STANDINGSThe Phillies (38-46) have won six of seven. The Braves (28-55) have lost six of eight.STREAKINGBourjos extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. He has raised his average from .278 from .217. ... Rupp has a 10-game hitting streak. ... Joseph snapped an 0-for-18 slump with his double. ... Hernandez is 20 for 40 since June 23, raising his average from .248 to .286.GOOD COMPANYEickhoff has tossed 18 quality starts in his first 25 starts in the majors to tie Hall of Famer Robin Roberts and right-hander Art Mahaffey for most through the first 25 starts for the Phillies since 1913. The last pitchers with as many quality starts in their first 25 career games were Jacob deGrom (20) and Masahiro Tanaka (19).WE WANT A HITA Phillies fan seated in the second deck behind home plate chanted We want a hit incessantly during the second inning. The offense responded with three doubles, a triple and two homers.UP NEXTRHP Mike Foltynewicz (2-2, 3.72) starts for the Braves while RHP Zach Elfin (0-2, 5.75) goes for the Phillies. 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