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NEW YORK -- It was anything but conventional. Bizarre, in fact.?Getting waxed by Novak Djokovic late in the first set of his semifinal match, Gael Monfils employed a defensive-minded tactic that, to many, looked like a case of sandbagging.The Frenchmans strategy worked for a while. So much so, that Djokovic went all Hulk Hogan and tore his shirt off.Ultimately, Djokovic prevailed in four sets. Afterward, the criticism of Monfils was harsh. ESPN tennis analyst John McEnroe went as far as calling his play unprofessional. But was it?US Open - What to make of Gael Monfils borderline outrageous tactics? https://t.co/fuBn7TDuDu- ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) September 10, 2016Bottom line, though, was Djokovic got the win.Djokovic Drops Monfils World No.1 advances to 21st Major final, 7th at the #USOpen, with 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-2 win. pic.twitter.com/7pqgo5XtkM- ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) September 9, 2016Now, the world No. 1 just needed an opponent. Swiss sensation Stan Wawrinka was happy to oblige.Satisfied StanWorld No.3 @stanwawrinka battles his way into his 3rd Major final, d. Nishikori 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-2. pic.twitter.com/3uOc3QSyn5- ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) September 10, 2016The shock waves from Serena Williams semifinal loss Thursday still resonate. She came oh-so-close again, but for the fourth time in her past five Grand Slam events, fell deep in the tournament. Although she must be feeling disappointment, her journey remains memorable.Serena Williams hardscrabble road to glory is cut short in the semifinals https://t.co/9SM0qDoeSA- ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) September 9, 2016Johnathan Motley Clippers Jersey . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. Avery Bradley Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. https://www.clipperslockerroom.com/Blake-Griffin-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Mfiondu Kabengele Clippers Jersey . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. Jerome Robinson Jersey .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head.Equestrian is the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete on equal terms.There are no separate events for men and women in the three different disciplines -- dressage, jumping and eventing.However, women were only allowed to compete in the sport in 1952 when the competition stopped being restricted to active-duty officers on military horses.Riders must avoid accumulating penalty points for errors and to do that they rely on harmony with their horses.---CINDERELLA STORYLaura Graves of the United States will be aiming to write the perfect ending to her fairytale in Rio at her first Olympic Games.The former hairdresser burst onto the scene in 2014, when she and her horse Verdades (Diddy for short) finished fifth in the World Equestrian Games Grand Prix Freestyle and were also second at the Grand Prix National Championship, behind three-time Olympian Steffen Peters and Legolas.Graves love of horses began when her parents traded their washer and dryer for two ponies. She always dreamed of competing but was unable to due to a lack of funds.Her parents bought her a horse on a modest budget from a sales video but Diddy was temperamental and would refuse to be ridden many days.One of many falls resulted in Graves breaking her back, but she did not give up, and they rose from obscurity to one of the worlds best dressage duos.---CAPTAIN CANADAKnown as Captain Canada, Ian Millar etched his name into sporting history at London 2012, setting a new record for the most appearances in Olympic Games.Having surpassed Austrian sailor Hubert Raudaschls nine, the 69-year-old is hoping to make it 11 in Rio, where he could also compete with his children, Jonathon and Amy, who are also hoping to qualify.Millars total would already be 11 had Canada not joined the boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.Millars first Olympic Games were Munich 1972 and he won his only Olympic medal at the 2008 Games in Beijing, becoming the oldest show jumper to stand on the podium, at the age of 61.He dedicated the medal to his wife of 39 years, who had died months earlier from cancer.---PAMPERED HORSESIn equestrian, its not just the athletes who receive top treatement and training, but the horses too.ddddddddddddetween events, horses run on treadmills and have massages, as well as physiotherapy and acupuncture sessions.Top horses also fly around the world on specially designed aeroplanes and have passports containing detailed physical descriptions and lists of vaccines taken.Problems can arise, however, especially with riders from Australia, which has strict quarantine laws. Many riders from Australia and New Zealand live in Europe or the United States.Phillip Dutton, who won gold at three successive Olympics from 1996-2004 as part of the Australian eventing team, moved to the United States in 1991 and started to compete for his adoptive country after officially becoming a U.S. citizen in 2006.---GERMAN DOMINANCEGermany has dominated the sport, specifically dressage where it has an impressive haul of 19 gold medals, 11 silver and nine bronze.The top three athletes in the history of equestrian are also German: Reiner Klimke won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage, Isabell Werth five golds and three silvers in the same event, while Hans Gunter Winkler won five gold, one silver and a bronze in show jumping.Germany won seven successive dressage team gold medals at the Olympics, until its run was interrupted in London by a Great Britain team, including Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro and Laura Bechtolsheimer on Mistral Hojris -- the individual gold and bronze medalists.Valegro has been the best horse for the past four years and the individual medal will likely be a battle between Dujardin and Werth, who did not compete four years ago.One of the best riders in the United States is originally German. Born in Wesel, Germany, Steffen Peters emigrated to America in 1985, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1992. He rode in the first of three Olympic Games four years later, helping his new nation to the team bronze medal in Atlanta.The U.S., with one silver and seven bronze, and Canada, one bronze, are the only non-European countries with dressage medals. ' ' '