t might also have been among the most satisfying. Cibulkova saved a match point and ultimately reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time.9. Nic

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Three-time doubles gold medalists Serena and Venus Williams lost an Olympic match as partners for the first time, stunned in the opening round of the Rio de Janeiro Games by the Czech Republics Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-4. Custom Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys .The Williams sisters entered Sundays match with a 15-0 career record in the Olympics, winning the gold medal in womens doubles every time they entered the event: in 2000, 2008 and 2012.The American duo was seeded No. 1 in Rio and coming off a 14th Grand Slam championship together at Wimbledon a month ago.Neither Safarova nor Strycova, meanwhile, ever had won an Olympic doubles match, going a combined 0-3 with other partners. They are unseeded in Rio.And get this: They werent even supposed to be playing together at the Olympics. Strycova was a late replacement for Karolina Pliskova, who withdrew from the tournament.Indeed, Strycova and Safarova only had played one match as a team before Sunday night -- and they lost that, in a Fed Cup match last year.This was Serenas second match of the day: She won her first-rounder in singles earlier Sunday. Venus, meanwhile, now has two first-round exits at the Rio Olympics, because she was beaten in singles on Saturday night.After that defeat, Venus did not meet with reporters, but U.S. womens Olympic tennis coach Mary Joe Fernandez said that the seven-time major singles champion had been sick since before she arrived in Brazil. Fernandez also said Venus was dealing with cramping, dehydration and an upset stomach after Saturdays loss.In the doubles, played under the lights, when occasional chants of USA! would rise from some spectators, other members of the crowd would respond with boos.Safarova and Strycova did their best to keep hitting shots toward Venus when she was at the baseline, while Serena was left to stand near the net and watch those exchanges.The Williams sisters appeared to be getting back into the match in the second set, which was even at 4-all.But Venus got broken there, allowing Strycova to serve out the surprising victory.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich Earl Watson Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. O. J. Mayo Jersey . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. https://www.cheapgrizzlies.com/ . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. From the first major event of the season, in Australia, to the final weekend of the year, the pool of barn-burning matches did not lack.Here are our top 10 matches of 2016:1. Juan Martin del Potro def. Andy Murray 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, Davis Cup semifinals A few weeks after their Rio de Janeiro classic, del Potro met Murray again, this time in Glasgow for a Davis Cup tie. This match provided a running time in excess of five hours and also a different ending with del Potro as the victor. The win was merely a harbinger for del Potro, who carried his magic into the Davis Cup final in late November, where he memorably beat Marin Cilic in a hair-raising 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 win, which was just seven minutes shy of five hours.2. Petra Kvitova def. Angelique Kerber 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-4, Wuhan Open third roundAll you need to know about this match was the epic, lung-busting 41-shot rally that in the end was only a sample of their 3-hour, 20-minute match. Kvitova had no fear all day long, bringing it to the newly minted world No. 1. It was a promising showing from Kvitova, who played with little consistency all year long.3. Roger Federer def. Marin Cilic 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3, Wimbledon quarterfinals Federer called this one epic as he came back from two sets down, including saving three match points along the way, to defeat Cilic in their Wimbledon quarterfinal. Im probably going to look back on this as being a great, great match that I played in my career, on Centre Court at Wimbledon, Federer said to the press afterward. This is huge for me, my season, my career. It was the 10th time Federer had come back from a two-set deficit.4. Angelique Kerber def. Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, Australian Open finalWhat better way to win a first Grand Slam title than to defeat Serena in the final? And to do so with great power and poise, which also prevented Williams from drawing level with Steffi Grafs 22 majors. Well, thats exactly how this years three-set Australian Open final played out for Germanys Kerber, who was left with goosebumps. My whole life, Ive worked hard, she told the press afterward. To say, I am a Grand Slam champion is crazy.5. Andy Murray def. Milos Raonic 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6(9), ATP World Tour Finals semifinalsMurrays talent as an escapologist was apparent when saving a match point in his semifinal against Raonic in London. At 3 hours, 38 minutes, it was the longest-ever three-set match in the history of the tournament (exttending a record Murray had just set only days earlier when taking 3 hours, 20 minutes to defeat Kei Nishikori in the group stages). Memphis Grizzlies Store. This was a victory freighted with significance as it propelled Murray into the finals, whered hed beat Novak Djokovic to clinch the year-end No. 1.6. Andy Murray def. Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, Rio Olympics finalMurrays four-set, four-hour victory against del Potro in the Olympic final will be remembered for the brutal rallies. Murray had never played a harder match to win a big title, and del Potro was so physically spent that he felt dizzy and close to passing out. Body parts were dropping off; the Argentine said he left the last of his toenails on the court.7. Karolina Pliskova def. Venus Williams 4-6 6-4 7-6 (3), US Open fourth roundAt 36 years old, Williams had a point to become the oldest Grand Slam quarterfinalist since 1994. And I really played the perfect point, but she managed to stay alive, Williams said after losing to Pliskova. The Czech would go on to defeat Venus younger sister, Serena, in the semifinal before finishing as the runner-up to Angelique Kerber.8. Dominika Cibulkova def. Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 5-7, 9-7, Wimbledon fourth roundCibulkovas three-hour win against Radwanska at the All England Club was the toughest match of her career. It might also have been among the most satisfying. Cibulkova saved a match point and ultimately reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time.9. Nick Kyrgios def. Dustin Brown 6-7 (7), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, Wimbledon second round Kyrgios had promised a circus before his second-round match at Wimbledon against his friend Brown, with each playing an exciting and flamboyant brand of tennis. And a circus was what we got. In their own way, both brought some chaos and disorder to the grass. Kyrgios five-set victory was not without incident. He was given a code violation for swearing and let it be known he thought some of umpire Jake Garners decisions had been horrendous.10. Stan Wawrinka def. Dan Evans 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (8), 6-2, US Open third roundEvans fittingly called the loss just a bit of a heartbreaker. Evans, ranked No. 63, had a match point against Wawrinka but failed to capitalize in the fourth-set tiebreaker. Wawrinka dodged defeat and would go on to win the title for the first time. ' ' '