Serena Williams Survives to Win Her Fifth Wimbledon Title

An elated Serena Williams defeated Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to win her fifth Wimbeldon title. (Reuters)

Many wondered if Serena Williams would ever play tennis again. Serena endured a rash of injuries over 18 months that left that thought lingering. However, she overcame the injuries and doubts to return to the court. A return to Wilbledon seemed like the perfect remedy for Serena's past aches.

Serena stormed through her competition to reach the final. She seemed like the overwhelming favorite. After all, Serena was a 13-time Grand Slam singles champion. She was set to face Agnieszka Radwanska, a 23-year-old from Poland, in her first major final.

Serena dominated the first set, winning 6-1. Radwanska battled back in the second set. She forced error after error out of Serena. Williams let her nerves and emotions get the better of her, and she lost the set 7-5. In the decisive third set, Radwanska continued her strong play, gaining a 2-1 advantage in the set. But something suddenly changed in Serena's demeanor. It was as if she flipped a switch. Williams hit four consecutive aces. She never looked back from there as she won the set 6-2.

After sealing the win, Serena fell flat along the baseline with her head in her hands. She then ran into the stands and embraced her family. The family members who were there to encourage her as she fought to comeback. Serena and her sister Venus finished the day off perfectly as though won yet another doubles title.

This is Serena's 14th Grand Slam singles title, which is the most of her generation. It is also her fifth Wimbledon title matching Venus' total. In fact, the Williams sisters have won ten of the last thirteen Wimbledon singles titles and five doubles titles. Furthermore, they have combined for a total of 21 majors. The remaining active players have only won a combined 16.

The Williams sisters have truly dominated and transformed women's tennis. But they aren't done yet. Serena made sure to remind us of that today. When all the momentum seemed to be going the way of Ranwanska, Williams reminded us of how amazing she has been all these years. Even though they might be getting older and the bodies might be wearing down, these sisters still now how to dominant the sport. Serena and Venus are still a force to be reckoned with, so you better not forget about it.

Roberto Luongo Discusses Possibility of Leaving the Canucks

In a radio interview on Vancouver's 99.3 the Fox, Roberto Luongo revealed what he has been thinking about the future. (Danny Moloshok)

Many people having been talking about Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo's upcoming appearance in the World Series of Poker. Friday night, he was on the air with Vancouver's 99.3 the Fox to discuss his poker game. When the conversation turned to hockey and his future, Luongo didn't keep a straight poker face. In fact, he laid all his cards out on the table.

Luongo announced over the air, "I think it's time to move on. And I'm okay with that. I had a great six years in Vancouver. It's a really wonderful city. I really enjoyed my time there. Unfortunately, I was not able to bring a Stanley Cup there. Probably my greatest regret. But it'll be remembered for six great years."

In six seasons with the Canucks, Luongo did help lead them to the playoffs five of those years. But he had only 32 wins in 61 playoff games with a 2.53 GAA and a .916 save percentage. The fact that the Canucks signed backup netminder Cory Schneider to a three-year, $12 million deal seems to provide additional evidence that Luongo might be on the way out.

When asked about where he would want to go, Luongo said that there were lots of great cities to play in. However, he gave special mention to Chicago. The Blackhawks definitely seem to be a team he likes. Luongo also said he is open to returning to the Florida Panthers, where he played for five years before coming to Vancouver. One last trade destination that is buzzing among fans and experts alike is the Columbus Blue Jackets. Their disgruntled star Rick Nash wants out as well. A straight-up trade would be unconventional and unlikely, but certainly a possibility.

I believe the decision by Luongo to move on to somewhere else is the proper decision. The window seems to have closed on this Canucks team. Their defeat in the first round to the eight seed Los Angeles Kings is just further evidence of this. While I doubt Luongo wants to go to Columbus, the Blackhawks seem to be a very reasonable possibility. The Blackhawks have the type of pieces available to provide adequate return. If I am reading Luongo's poker face correctly, I believe the Blackhawks is the team he wishes to join.

Throwback Nationals Rally to Sweep Giants

Adam LaRoche celebrates as he watches Bryce Harper cross home plate for the game-winning run Thursday night. (Evan Vucci)

The San Francisco Giants came to Washington to play a three game series against the Nationals in what was hailed as a battle of division leaders. The city was buzzing with talk of a possible playoff preview. Both teams were well aware of the importance of the series, and the respect that could be gained from it.

Tuesday's series opener saw Jordan Zimmerman take the mound for the Nationals. Zimmerman hoped to benefit from the sudden run production he received in his last start. Meanwhile, the Giants countered with Tim Lincecum. Lincecum's struggles earlier this season have been well documented, but he appeared to be turning things around following two of his best starts of this season. Unfortunately for the Giants, that trend ceased to continue.

The Nationals hitters hit Lincecum hard. Danny Espinosa, Jordan Zimmerman, and Adam LaRoche all had RBI doubles. Ian Desmond followed that up his 14th home run of the year. From there, things only got worse for the Giants. In all, Lincecum lasted only 3 1/3 innings and gave up eight runs on nine hits. Zimmerman took care of the rest as the Nationals rolled to a 9-3 victory.

The Giants had to think things would turn around for them on the Fourth of July. After all, they had Madison Bumgarner on the mound, who was one of baseball's best pitchers in the month of June (5-0, 2.42 ERA). The Nationals, on the other hand, were simply hoping Edwin Jackson would bounce back from a terrible outing at Colorado. The Giants struck first off Jackson. In the top of the first inning, Pablo Sandoval hit a bomb to center field to increase the Giants lead to 3-0.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Nationals tied things up following a double by Ryan Zimmerman and a single by Ian Desmond. From there, the Nationals took the lead on a combined three home runs by Jhonatan Solano, Zimmerman, and Michael Morse. In five innings of work, the Nationals tagged Bumgarner with seven earned runs. The Giants tried to rally, but Rick Ankiel sealed the deal with a two-run homer off Giants reliever Clay Hensley to make the Nationals lead to 9-4. The Nationals held on to win by that margin.

Thursday's series finale took the players, fans, and even the groundskeepers back to 1924. The teams paid tribute to the 1924 World Series between the Washington Senators and New York Giants. Both teams donned the historic jerseys, and there was an added aura of the historicity to the great American pastime. With the game underway, Giants starter Matt Cain appeared to be in cruise control. It helped that Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan combined for five RBIs to give him 5-1 lead going into the seventh inning stretch.

However, momentum started to sway when Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa hit back-to-back solo shots off Cain to trim the Giants lead to 5-3. Giants closer Santiago Casilla came in the bottom of the ninth with just a one run advantage. Pinch hitter Tyler Moore led the inning off with a double. Steve Lombardozzi attempted to sacrifice, but an error by Casilla led to first and third, no one out for the Nationals. Bryce Harper singled home Moore to tie the game and Lombardozzi went to third.

Ryan Zimmerman was intentionally walked to load the bases. Michael Morse grounded into a fielder's choice as the throw came home to nail Lombardozzi at the plate. So the bases remained loaded, but now with one out. Adam LaRoche hit a ground ball to second for what should have been a routine inning-ending double play. The Giants got the second out at second base, but shortstop Brandon Crawford bounced the throw to first in the dirt. First baseman Brandon Belt couldn't come up with it, and LaRoche was safe at first, which allowed Harper to score the game-winning run.

The Nationals completed the sweep of the Giants. This series is yet another reminder that this team is for real. They are young and may not have everything figured out, but they are finding ways to win ball games. It will be exciting to watch the Nationals as the look to keep their excellent play going in the second half and the push for the postseason.

Parise and Suter Transform Minnesota Wild Into Contenders

Zach Parise (left) and Ryan Suter (right) both signed 13-year, $98 million deals to play for the Minnesota Wild. (U.S. Presswire Photos)

On December 10, 2011, the Minnesota Wild defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 4-1. The Wild were playing great hockey. They had the best record in the NHL at 20-7-3. However, things quickly went downhill from there. They suffered injuries, their offensive inefficiencies were exposed, and their defense tired from being under constant duress. Over the next month, the Wild won only one game. They never recovered from there.

The Wild clearly had talent. Everyone could see that during their first thirty games. Dany Heatley, Kyle Brodziak, Mikko Koivu, and Devin Setoguchi are all quite talented, but suffered from the pressure mounted on them offensively without clear direction. The Wild defense had talent as well, but has struggled to find an identity since the Brent Burns trade. In the net, all three of the Wild's goaltenders, Nicklas Backstrom, Josh Harding, and Matt Hackett, all had a GAA of 2.62 and a save percentage of .917 or better last season. What seemed to be lacking from this equation was leadership and motivation.

Last season, Zach Parise became a name many hockey fans learned to know and respect. His Devils team came into the playoffs as a quiet afterthought. When the Devils were backed up against the wall time and time again, their captain, Parise, convinced them to believe in themselves. Even when they were down 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals, they battled back to take two games. It was clear Parise and his boys left all they had on the ice.

Ryan Suter has spent all seven seasons of his NHL career with the Nashville Predators. He has been there through the ups and downs of the franchise during that time. While defensive partner Shea Weber has received all the deserved accolades, many believe Suter has developed into much the equal of Weber. Suter's understanding of instinctual play and proper positioning have even drawn comparisons to recently retired Detroit Red Wing Nicklas Lidstrom. He has grown into one of the NHL's best defenseman.

This summer both Parise and Suter became free agents. Since they are good friends, both kept in contact as they explored their options. Of course, both the Devils and Predators wanted their respective men to return home to their teams. There were also the big time pushes from Stanley Cup contenders, such as the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers. But Parise kept thinking about home, Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes. He talked with the Wild and liked the comfort and familiarity. Suter then decided to talk with them as well. After all, he was from nearby Wisconsin and his wife is a Minnesotan.

After careful thought and consideration, Parise and Suter decided they liked they idea of playing together and somewhere that felt natural to both. They decided to sign identical 13-year, $98 million deals to play for the Wild. The Wild instantly got the marquee leaders that they needed and awakened a long dormant fan base hungry for a return to the playoffs. The front office has stated that they will explore more options. This could be just the beginning. July 4, 2012 will be a day remembered by the Wild and their fans for many years to come.

Eric Gordon Signs Maximum Offer Sheet With Suns

Eric Gordon celebrates his game-winning three-pointer against the Phoenix Suns, the team he now could be playing for next. (AP Photo)

The New Orleans Hornets had planned on rebuilding their franchise around guard Eric Gordon. After all, he was the prize possession of their trade that sent their last franchise player, Chris Paul, to the Los Angeles Clippers. The 23-year-old Gordon was supposed to be their cornerstone to which they could add young talent, such as recent top ten picks Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. But all of these plans hinged on re-signing Gordon, who became a restricted free agent this summer.

While exploring his options, Gordon began to have talks with the Phoenix Suns. The more the talks wore on, the more Gordon liked the franchise. This evening, Gordon surprised many people by signing a maximum-salary contract worth $58 millions dollars over four years with the Suns. In his statement about the signing, Gordon concluded by stating, "I strongly feel they (the Suns) are the right franchise for me. Phoenix is just where my heart is now."

Since Gordon is a restricted free agent, the Hornets do have the option to match the Suns contract offer. They are fully expected to do so, but now the franchise is in a precarious position. Their franchise player has clearly expressed the desire to play elsewhere. They have the option to disregard this completely. But they have to remember what happened with Chris Paul. If Gordon truly won't be content in New Orleans, the Hornets may explore the option of a sign-and-trade with the Suns or another franchise.

It is somewhat ironic that the two teams involved are the Hornets and Suns. Gordon's greatest moment as a Hornet came in Phoenix when he buried a three-pointer with 4.4 seconds left to beat the Suns 86-85 on December 26, 2011. The Suns clearly recognize the potential Gordon has. He could be a great fit to fill the void that will likely be left by free agent Steve Nash. Meanwhile, the Hornets need to talk to Gordon and determine where things stand. As much as they would love to have Gordon as their franchise player, they might need to begin looking into a Plan B.

Nets Acquire Johnson in Hopes of Getting Williams to Return

The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Joe Johnson and his $89.3 million contract to the Brooklyn Nets. (Getty Images)

With the current roster they had, the Brooklyn Nets knew that they need to acquire a big name player to help convince free agent Deron Williams to return to the Nets, rather than the Dallas Mavericks. They took the first step by re-signing defensive-minded small forward Gerald Wallace to a four-year, $40 million deal. After failing to come to an agreement with the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard, the Nets moved northwest and found one of the biggest men available, Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks. Johnson was considered by many to be unmovable due to his enormous contract. His contract still owes him $89.3 million over the next four seasons. However, the Nets had the cap room and knew Johnson was the type of player they were looking for.

With the trade in place, the Atlanta Hawks are officially in rebuilding mode. It took new general manager Danny Ferry just one week on the job to transform the Hawks from a stagnate franchise to one thrust full force into rebuilding mode. While the team's fans might be initially disappointed, they have to realize it is the best move for the future. In return for Johnson, the Hawks receive the expiring contracts of Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, and DeShawn Stevenson. They also receive the Houston Rockets' lottery-protected first-round pick in 2013.

In a separate trade, the Atlanta Hawks sent Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz in return for point guard Devin Harris. Williams never developed into the player everyone thought he would in Atlanta. Harris is a good value to receive in return. Both trades give the Hawks the needed cap room to rebuild. They also still have two of their best players, Josh Smith and Al Horford. The Hawks still have the option to trade either one or both of them. If they choose to move neither, the duo provides a core in which to rebuild around.

As I have already mentioned, the Nets will receive Joe Johnson. Johnson has declined over the last couple seasons, so they hope that a move will revive his career. This trade, of course, is in hopes of convincing Deron Williams to return to the Nets. Williams is currently mulling over decision to return to the Nets or to join the Mavericks. The Nets are offering Williams the maximum five-year, $100 million deal. That is one year and $25 million more than what the Mavericks can offer. The Mavericks will try to sell Williams on the fact that he can join Dirk Nowitzki in a quest to win another NBA title. The Nets will counter with the allure of playing in Brooklyn and beside Joe Johnson. Deron Williams has a tough decision to make to be sure.

Besides resigning Williams, the Nets will also focus on re-signing their other top free agents, Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, and Gerald Green. Each are expected to rejoin the team, especially if Williams re-signs. Also on the Nets' radar is Bosnian forward Mirza Teletovic. Teletovic played last season in Spain, but is now looking to make the move to the NBA. He has the same agent as Williams and could be nice fit next season in Brooklyn. Regardless of Deron Williams' decision, the Nets are headed in a new direction, and it's much more than just their geographical move to Brooklyn.

Woods Earns 74th Career PGA Win Passing Nicklaus

Tiger Woods holds his trophy after winning the 2012 AT&T National at Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland (Pete Marovich)

Tiger Woods is beginning to leave his critics with little left to say. Being among the leaders, Woods came into the final round of the AT&T National in the final pairing. He and Bo Van Pelt were one shot behind surprising Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe. Unfortunately for the Zimbabwean, his success didn't carry over to Sunday.

That meant it came down to Woods and Van Pelt. Early on during the final round, Woods took the lead, but each time Van Pelt answered with a birdie of his own. The two went to 16th hole all level. Van Pelt had a 345-yard tee shot, which meant he needed only a 6-iron from there. Woods looked to be in trouble when his tee shot struck a spectator in the left rough. However, a few poor errors by Van Pelt left him to settle for a bogey. Woods managed to recover enough to earn the same fate.

More unforced mistakes by Van Pelt led to his demise. On the 17th, he went through the rough, then over the green to near the grandstand, before finally managing to salvage bogey. Woods stayed calm and confident while making par, without any real difficulty. He took his one shot lead to the 18th hole. With Van Pelt in trouble again, Woods knew all he needed was to tap in for par to seal the win. He did just that.

The win was Woods' 74th of his PGA Career, passing Jack Nicklaus for 2nd all-time. He is now just eight wins behind Sam Snead's record. The win was also Woods' third this year, the most of any golfer on the PGA Tour. While he remains #4 in the world, he did take the lead in the PGA Tour money list and in the FedEx Cup standings for the first time since September 2009.

When asked about Woods' play, Van Pelt stated, "I think he's the only player to guy to win three tournaments on tour this year, is that correct? On three different golf courses. And he was leading the U.S. Open after two days. So I'd say that he is playing the best golf in the world right now." I happen to agree with Van Pelt's assessment. During one stretch here at Congressional, Woods went 41 holes without a bogey. That's vintage Tiger. While he isn't going to be perfect, he is going to be very, very good. This win is just another display to showcase that Tiger Woods is indeed back in form.