dge-first-attack-later strategy managed to unsettle the Uzbek fo

If Taylor Fritz were like his friends back home in San Diego, he would be transitioning from high school to his first taste of independence, at college.But Fritz isnt like most teens just out of high school. Instead, he is busily carving out his career path.Closing in on the completion of his first full year on the ATP World Tour, the 19-year-old was labeled one of the tours Next Generation (#NextGen) stars. He finished 2016 by being named the ATP Star of Tomorrow, a distinction earned by being the youngest player ranked within the top 100. Hes ranked No. 70 but has already edged close to the top 50, with a career-high ranking of No. 53 in August.At the beginning of 2015, when he was primarily playing junior tennis, Fritz was ranked No. 1,141. By the end of that season, having played a few pro circuit events and won the Sacramento Challenger, Fritz started 2016 a respectable No. 177.Now that hes 11 months into his debut year, Fritz has put up some impressive results, including becoming the youngest ATP finalist since 2008, when, at age 18, he reached the Memphis Open championship in February. In all, he won 15 tour-level matches during the season, a statistic that includes quarterfinal finishes at Acapulco and Atlanta.Yeah, it came really fast, Fritz said last month in Shanghai. This time last year, I was just so happy to be participating in the main draw of a Challenger. I was like, Wow, this is such a big moment in my career. It feels like Ive been through so much, and it feels like its also gone so fast. A lots happened, and Ive learned a lot this year, for sure.Although some players in his current position might choose a guaranteed ranking position by keeping Challengers in their tournament mix, thats not Fritzs style. He prefers the tougher route, where he has to fight to earn -- and keep -- his place in ATP-level tournaments by playing qualifiers.I really didnt know what to expect just moving to all ATP tournaments, he said. I knew what to expect at Challengers. Losing in the first round more than two weeks in a row is something I never experienced ever. So it definitely was a hit on the confidence to keep going and not get discouraged. But I think Ive adapted now.I feel I could be where Im ranked now pretty safely. At least I hope so if I played a full Challenger schedule. But I want to be on the tour. The highest level of the game is where I want to be.Novak Djokovics had an opportunity to get to know Fritz through a few practice sessions. He understood why people were talking about the California kid with the big serve.Im not too surprised, Djokovic said. He very quickly got to top 100. On your way up to the top of the mens game, you have a couple of biggest transitions -- icebreakers, we call them. Hes been going in that direction, and I see that hes working hard. Hes committed. All good signs.Fritz had a late start to the international junior scene. His mom, former top-10 player Kathy May, held him back, preferring that tennis not be his entire focus. Eventually, however, Fritz won over his mom and he was allowed to home-school to facilitate playing more junior tournaments.In 2015, he won the US Open junior boys title, reached the Roland Garros junior final and earned the year-end No. 1 junior ranking. The season culminated with his being named the ITF Junior World champion.Blessed with matinee idol looks -- the perfect shock of wavy chestnut hair, the cleft chin and athletic build -- Fritz caught immediate attention. He already has represented the tour in photo shoots with Paris Match and Italian Vogue.Hes clearly comfortable in a marketing role, and the extracurricular activities havent distracted his focus from tennis. That makes him the perfect new-face-on-tour spokesman.Fritz is likely to catch the eye of a few young ladies, but theyll be disappointed to learn hes already found his perfect match in Raquel Pedraza. The two met years ago playing junior tennis. They married in July after getting engaged with the Eiffel Tower as the romantic backdrop on a rainy night during the French Open.Some might wonder why two 18-year-olds would commit so young. For Fritz, it was just the natural next step.I think it just gives me someone whos always been there for me, and someone who will continue to be there for me, for support and helping me with my career, he said. Shes someone who can always keep me focused. So I see nothing but good things coming from it.With his personal life all organized, Fritz can pay necessary attention to his career.He shows no fear for his upcoming sophomore season, the time when many players face complex adjustments. He likes challenges. And hes comfortable with suggestions he could be Americans next star.For me, Im able to deal with it because I dont care so much about whether or not Im disappointing people by not doing well, he said. I just care about living up to my expectations and not disappointing myself.Nike Free Wholesale .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Nike Free Online Nz . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. http://www.wholesalenikefreenz.com/ . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Nike Free Cheap Shoes Nz . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Nike Free Shoes Nz . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros.Former Commonwealth Games gold-medalist Manoj Kumar (64kg) put up a spirited show but could not match the power of fifth seed Fazliddin Gaibnazarov in his pre-quarterfinal bout to bow out of the Olympic Games on Sunday.The 29-year-old Indian went down 3-0. The 25-year-old Gaibnazarov, the World and Asian Championships silver-medallist from Uzbekistan, was the unanimous choice as the winner.In the opening round, Manoj kept his rival at a distance, denying him a clear shot. The dodge-first-attack-later strategy managed to unsettle the Uzbek for sometime but Gaibnazarov clinched the initiative with a couple of left jabs in the closing seconds.In the second round, Gaibnazarov continued to rely on his strong left, prompting a standing eight count against the Indian. The Uzbeks foot moovement was lucid after he had clearly got a hang of the Indians strategy and he connected much better.ddddddddddddManoj was guilty of not using his height and reach advantage to the fullest and was clearly shaken by a vicious blow to his torso by Gaibnazarovs powerful left hand.The Haryana boxer was more aggressive in the final round but Gaibnazarovs footwork and tremendous balance while back-peddling negated the attempted attacks.With Manoj and Shiva Thapa (56kg), who lost in the opening round, ousted from contention, Indias boxing campaign now comprises only Vikas Krishan (75kg).Vikas is scheduled to fight his quarterfinal at 3.30am IST on Tuesday. ' ' '