.Cahill laughed when he was asked whether Djokovic, who like M

Between the conclusion of the group stage and the opening few matches of the double-elimination bracket, Day 2 was filled with plenty of drama and excitement.Like most tournaments in Call of Duty: Black Ops III, the drama started with OpTic Gaming. The Green Wall, which lost its opening round match to compLexity Gaming, needed to win its next two group stage matches in order to qualify for the double-elimination bracket. With the pressure on, OpTic cruised through both PNDA and LDLC Gaming on the strength of terrific overall team performances to finally qualify. As a result of the Day 1 loss, however, OpTic was forced to traverse the double-elimination bracket as the second seed from Group H, which placed them in the unenviable position of facing Team EnVyUs in Round 1.In easily one of the most anticipated face-offs of the tournament, OpTic appeared to be no match for the rejuvenated EnVyUs squad. Stage 2 hero John John Perez in particular gave OpTic fits, registering ridiculous K/D numbers in Round 2 Search and Destroy and Round 4 Capture the Flag en route to a 88/73 series K/D. With the 3-1 series loss, OpTic, the favorites to win Call of Duty XP, will now need to win six straight matches from the lower bracket in order to make it to the finals.While OpTics struggles have been well documented, its rival from last season, FaZe Clan, appear to be peaking at just the right time. Its not just that FaZe havent lost a match yet in the tournament (4-0), its that theyve done it in such dominating fashion, not dropping a single round in any game. And while FaZes first two opponents of the tournament werent the competitions cream of the crop, FaZes next two opponents, Team eLevate and Infused, certainly had aspirations of championship glory. Always a team that plays better in front of a crowd, FaZe appears to be on an entirely different level at CoD XP. If James Clayster Eubanks and the rest of the team can continue their strong performances through the pivotal Round 2 matchup against Team EnVyUs, there might not be a team that can stop them.On top of the success of North American favorites such as FaZe Clan and Team EnVyUs, Call of Duty XP might go down as the year of the Europeans, as a record-breaking six teams from across the pond qualified for the double-elimination bracket. While HyperGames, Epsilon Esports, the aforementioned Infused, and Millenium didnt survive their respective opening round matches, each of those teams could make a run through the lower bracket. And whats more, the two surviving European teams, Splyce and FAB Games, will square off to start Round 2, assuring that at least one European team will make it into the upper bracket semifinals.Considering the winner of that matchup will face either Team EnVyUs or FaZe Clan, a finals berth through the upper bracket seems difficult, but certainly not impossible. In a renaissance year for European Call of Duty, its been refreshing to see so many teams from overseas place well at the biggest international tournament of the year and should be considered an encouraging showing for fans of the region. Jordans Shoes Online Canada . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Jordan Shoes Canada Shipping . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. http://www.saleairjordancanada.com/ . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. Jordan Shoes Canada Clearance . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Jordan Shoes Wholesale Canada . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Five months ago, Novak Djokovic finally closed the deal on his career Grand Slam. After going 0-for-11 at Roland Garros, he defeated Andy Murray in an emphatic four-set final.That gave Djokovic the years first two major titles -- and a seemingly insurmountable lead as the ATP World Tours No. 1-ranked player. He found himself 8,035-points ahead of the No. 2 Murray, the equivalent of four Slam championships.In retrospect, that grand flourish in Paris was the beginning of the end of Djokovics 2016 season.I think after the French Open, the majority of us felt that Novak had a lock on the No. 1 ranking because of how dominant he had been, said Darren Cahill, former coach of No. 1-ranked Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt. When he wins the French, when he finally gets there, it has to be a letdown.Hes only human.Mary Carillo, who will be a commentator during this weekends Fed Cup final for Tennis Channel, was also among that majority.When Novak won the French Open, I thought, This guys capable of running the table. Who the hells going to stop him from being the king? Carillo said. Ive got to say its a big surprise whats happened to Novak, the way he lost his way.In my mind, its a bigger surprise than what happened this year with Serena, Roger and Rafa.Thus, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, for the first time since points were first awarded at the year-end event in 1990, could feature a frenetic winner-take-all championship match Sunday Nov. 20. Its a potential matchup of two friends and rivals who first met as 11-year-olds at a juniors tournament in France. (Murray won 6-0, 6-1.)Its hardly an unreasonable scenario. Murray has won 19 straight matches and is a sparkling 47-3 since the French Open. Djokovic? The four-time Barclays defending champion is a combined 23-0 against the other three players in his group, Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils and Dominic Thiem.Lets crunch the numbers: Murray currently leads Djokovic by 405 points, but with 275 coming off his total from last years Davis Cup final, the lead is effectively 130 points. Because the three round-robin matches are worth 200 points for each win, with 400 for a semifinals victory and another 500 for winning the title, whoever goes one round further will be the top-ranked player. As long as Djokovic wins two round-robin matches, their meeting in the final would produce the year-end No. 1 -- the best possible punctuation for mens tennis.For the first time, Murray is the favorite to win this tournament, said Brad Gilbert, Murrays former coach and part of ESPNs coverage team in London. I would definitely say the Muzzard is playing the best tennis Ive seen him play.While Djokovic won the French Open, Murray very quietly was having his best clay season. He was also a finalist in Madrid and won the title in Rome. And then his season took off, with the title at Wimbledon and a gold medal at the Rio Olympics. He finished with a flurry, winning the last four events he played, in Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna and Paris.That title ended 122 consecutive weeks at the top for Djokovic. Murray, at 29, is the ATPs oldest first-time No. 1 since John Newcombe in 1974.Murray, according to Cahill, has learned to win when hes not playing his best.His average level has improved considerably, Cahill said. Hes had to struggle and survive. Hes gutting his way through matches now.ddddddddddddAndys never shied away from the fact that hes always wanted the No. 1 ranking. To do that you have to be incredibly consistent. In the past, he dropped too many second- and third-round matches. Hes managed to eliminate that.Some of that mental toughness, according to ESPN analyst Pam Shriver, came from his time away from coach Ivan Lendl, who abruptly quit after a three-year stint, only to return two years later this past June.This made him more resilient, Shriver said. Hes been relentless and aggressive in his pursuit of Djokovic. I think its great for mens tennis. Murray has been constantly trying to overcome this extraordinary trifecta of Fed, Rafa and Djokovic.Beyond Murrays beefed-up grit, Gilbert identifies two other areas of dramatic improvement.The second serve and the forehand are better than ever, Gilbert said. Against the Big Three, maybe they didnt hold up. Now hes dictating play way more than he ever has. Usually a coaching change comes when things arent going to plan. Andy added Lendl after a terrific clay court season.That put everything together.Djokovic, meanwhile, looked spent after the French Open. He lost in the third round at Wimbledon to Sam Querrey, the Serbs worst effort at the All England Club in eight years. And while he won the title in Toronto, Djokovic lost his first match in Rio de Janeiro to Juan Martin del Potro and fell in the US Open final to Stan Wawrinka. Shanghai (a semifinals loss to Roberto Bautista Agut) and the Paris Masters (a quarterfinals defeat by Marin Cilic) didnt go much better.Paris was not good, Carillo said. There was nothing declarative in his game.Gilbert wonders whether injury might be a factor in Djokovics recent performances.If you think about it, hes been incredibly healthy, then all of a sudden hes a little nicked up, Gilbert said. The arm, the wrist, its been different things all summer. Maybe thats affected practice and how he does things.The great thing about tennis, though, is that whoever finishes No. 1, the race for next year starts really soon. Theres no one else in equation for 2017 other than Murray and Djokovic.Cahill laughed when he was asked whether Djokovic, who like Murray is 29, would ever regain the No. 1 ranking.Nah, Cahill said. Everyones reading into this way too much. Hes been so dominant the past three, four years. Its tough to get to No. 1 -- tougher to stay there.I think hell recharge his batteries for 2017. What hes gone through speaks volumes about what hes been able to maintain. Hes been so dominant you forget to appreciate. It doesnt come easy, even to the great players.Whatever happens in London, Murray -- the once-scowling, ranting, on-court tyrant -- is in a better place. When John Isner forced the Paris final to a third set, Murray did not sulk. Rather, he bounced around the court, sprinting to get in position to return the next serve, even after getting aced. It was a refreshing (and telling) display of positive energy.Everythings all right with Andy, Carillo said. Hes married and has a little girl. Hes taken the happy mantle that went from Roger the Rafa to Novak. Happy helps on the court. Its nice to see him smiling. ' ' '