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NEW YORK -- The condition of Serena Williams tender right shoulder has been the subject of serious speculation early and often at this 2016 edition of the US Open.In her first-round match, she sacrificed a little serving power for pinpoint placement, raising even more questions.The emphatic answers were provided Thursday night on Arthur Ashe Stadium, when the No. 1 seed faced fellow American Vania King. Three of Serenas first four points came on aces -- at 102 mph, 114 mph and, finally, 115 mph -- all out wide.It was a harbinger of disaster for King, who went fairly quietly, 6-3, 6-3. Serena, however, did not seem happy with the level of her play.Well, every match, at least for me, I like to do the best I can, she said in her on-court interview. So, hopefully, Ill be able to play better as time goes on.Some takeaways from the match that vaulted Serena into a third-round match against Johanna Larsson:No one brings the star power like Serena: Unlike, say, actress Bridget Moynahan and chef Marcus Samuelson, Beyonce and husband Jay Z werent in the prematch celebrity list for the evening session. But the powerfully musical couple, who spend a fair amount of time in New York, were sitting right there in the back of Serenas box. Serena appeared in Beyonces Lemonade video, and apparently, this was payback. Serenas 22 Grand Slam singles titles are one more than Jay Zs 21 top-10 songs. Beyonce trails the field with only 16.Its a bad matchup for King: They had only met once previously, right here at the US Open two years ago. With a huge advantage in the category of firepower, Serena dropped only a single game that time -- winning in 56 minutes. This time, the No. 87-ranked player lasted nine more minutes. Serena hit 13 aces, and one serve was clocked at 121 mph on Thursday. She hit 38 winners (on a total of 65 points). King, in her 37th Grand Slam appearance, had only four winners. She has yet to advance beyond the third round.Serena looks dialed in -- and its early: If youre going to catch her, its advisable to do it sometime in the first week. But what looked like a horrible draw -- the unseeded but dangerous Ekaterina Makarova in the first round -- was a blessing. Serena came out and slammed the Russian 6-3, 6-3 in 63 minutes. More importantly, Serena was thoroughly composed, almost meticulous in her play and comportment. The shoulder? So far, Serena said, so good.The pressure will become greater, later: A year ago, on the cusp of a calendar-year Grand Slam, Serena succumbed to nerves. She said shes more relaxed this year, and its probably true. Still, as she gets closer to the title here, the more history will come into play. A victory, as tennis fans know by now, would give her 23 major singles, one more than the Open era record of 22 that she shares with Steffi Graf. Not as well-known is the fact she can surpass Chris Everts six US Open titles and take the Open era record of seven here for herself.Oh, and did we mention the No. 1 thing? Serena is already the oldest player to ever hold the No. 1 ranking. With a win here, she can hold on to it for a little longer than her current 183 consecutive weeks. If No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber reaches the quarterfinals, a distinct possibility, Williams would need to get to the final to have a chance to retain the top spot. If Kerber and Serena meet in the final, the winner would walk away with No. 1. Wouldnt that be fun?Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/ . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Clearance NBA Jerseys .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Cheap NBA Jerseys .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry.AUSTIN, Texas -- Tom Herman smiled, raised his right hand for the Hookem Horns sign and said all the right things Sunday to fire up the fan base as the new Texas coach.All of that was to be expected. Now comes the hard parts: winning, competing for a Big 12 title and navigating the treacherous landscape both on and off the field of Longhorns football.Herman landed on the Texas campus Sunday to turn around a program worn down by three consecutive losing seasons under Charlie Strong. In Herman, Texas President Greg Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin hired arguably the hottest young coach in college football away from Houston.We will win championships, at Texas, Herman said, sounding the key note his new fans want to hear.Herman lifted Houston with winning and public persona that pledged an H-town takeover. He now inherits a Texas program laboring to return to the national elite. And hell have to sooth some hurt feelings among the talented but young players who had pleaded a week earlier for Strong to stay. Among them was junior running back DOnta Foreman, who rushed for 2,028 yards and is considering turning pro.Some of that started when Herman met with his new players Sunday afternoon. Herman said he knows many of the Texas players are close to Strong, but added the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again.There will be change, Herman said.Herman will enjoy a whirlwind of early support that Strong never really got. Herman was hired so quickly after Strong was fired -- within hours -- that it demonstrated how unified school administrators and influential donors were in a desperate rush to snatch him up before anyone else did.Fenves and Perrin acknowledged they met Herman on Friday night after Texas lost to TCU and had an agreement in place before Strong was told hed been fired. Three years ago, it took Texas about three weeks and flirtations with several other coaches, before Strong was hired.And Strong had barely arrived on campus when billionaire businessman Red McCombs, one of Texas most prominent donors, called hiring Strong a kick in the face, a commment that set the tone for three tumultuous years for a divided fan base.ddddddddddddAll of that came under different campus leadership than Herman has now. Fenves and Perrin have been in their jobs less than two years.What is important is that in the end, we got our man, Fenves said.Things look and sound good now, but Herman will want to remember that Texas has a board of regents that hasnt been afraid to meddle in athletics. It was impatient board members and influential donors who worked tried to lure Alabamas Nick Saban while Mack Brown was still the Longhorns coach in 2013.Herman will have to put a staff together, and he deflected questions on whether that will include Houston offensive coordinator Major Applewhite. Applewhite is a former Texas quarterback and assistant coach who was immensely popular with Texas fans. But he also was disciplined by the university in 2009 when as an assistant coach school officials learned hed engaged in inappropriate conduct with a student trainer on a bowl trip.Applewhite, and how the school disciplined him, remains a key element in a long-running gender and race discrimination lawsuit against Texas filed by former womens track coach Bev Kearney, who was forced out in 2013 after having a relationship with one of her athletes in 2002. That case is pending before the state Supreme Court.Herman will enjoy hitting the recruiting trail for the states flagship university and the wealth and prestige that comes with it. And the buzz across Texas fertile recruiting grounds will be focused on him, instead of Big 12 and in-state rivals like Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU and Texas A&M, all of whom had disappointing seasons.Texas is known a place where the pressure to win, be a politician and to be the public face of one of the nations most prominent programs can be crushing. Herman says he ready to handle it all.Pressure comes from being unprepared, Herman said. We are prepared for this job. We are prepared to be successful. ' ' '