DieBruderschaft.com

Andy Murray has been placed in Rafa Nadals half of the draw for the Madrid Open, with the Spaniard keen to continue his superb return to form. Defending champion Murray comes to Madrid of the back of a much improved showing in Monte Carlo where he reached the semi-final, only to run into a Nadal beginning to show signs that he is back to his very best. Sky Live: Madrid Masters How to follow the Madrid Masters on Sky Sports Murray beat Nadal to win in Madrid last year while Nadal saw off Murray in three sets on his way to the title in the principality before going on to win in Barcelona and a victory in Madrid this week would set him up perfectly for a run at the French Open later this month where he is aiming to win an unprecedented 10th title at Roland Garros. Murray and Nadal are joined by Roger Federer and world No 1 Novak Djokovic in an A-list cast in Madrid and after a couple of years on inconsistency it is the Spaniard who arrives as the form player. Rafa Nadal beat Andy Murray in Monte Carlo Ive been playing well for a while, Nadal said at a promotional event this week. But you need the results to come along with that.Murrays win in Madrid last year gave him his first ever Masters title on clay and the world No 2 practiced with Nadal at the Spaniards tennis academy in Manacor in the lead up to the tournament. Andy Murray claimed his first clay court Masters with vcitory in Madrid last year And Murray, whose season has been disjointed after some time off following the birth of his first child, is well aware of Nadals capabilities Every player goes through periods where they dont necessarily play as well as they have done previously, Murray said.Rafa is still one of the best players on the surface and he still works as hard as he can on and off the court. I am sure he has gone away and worked at things since last year, so its hard to say if hell ever be back up to where he was, I guess we will have to wait and see. Watch highlights as Andy Murray mastered Rafa Nadal in Madrid last year In terms of the defence of his title Murray admits last year he was in top condition before claiming a memorable success over the home favourite.My preparation last year was probably the best its ever been for the clay, said the the Scot.I prepared for the event more thoroughly than I had done in previous years. When you have done everything you can do to ensure that youre ready for the surface, it gives you confidence. Roger Federer has added the Madrid Open to his schedule Federer, a winner in Madrid in 2012, added Madrid to his schedule in the last week as he steps up prepertions for the French Open and he is in the same half of the draw as Murray and Nadal - if the draw pans out he could play the Spaniard in the quarter finals.The Swiss while play either Nicholas Mahut or Joao Sousa, Murray will face either Vasek Pospisil or a qualifier while Nadal faces either Viktor Troicki or Andrey Kuznetsov. Novak Djokovic will be keen to make amends for a shock defeat to Jiri Vesely in his last outing In the other half of the draw, Djokovic will be looking for a third Masters title of the year but after success in Indian Wells and Miami he faces a particularly tricky assignment with clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro or talented teenager Borna Coric his second round opponent.Djokovics only Madrid title came in 2011 and he will be keen to make amends for a shock second round defeat to Jiri Vesely in Monte Carlo. Masters of their trade Nadal and Djokovic tied on total Masters crowns You can follow all the action on Sky Sports this week with the action getting underway at 11am on Sky Sports 3 on Monday.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Sky Live: Madrid Masters Masters of their trade ATP schedule Tennis on Sky Nike Air Max Zero Canada . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Air Max 97 Canada Sale .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. http://www.clearanceairmaxcanada.com/air-max-motion-canada-sale.html . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. Air Max 98 Canada . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Nike Air Max Canada Online . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Three years ago, Jadeveon Clowney heard the same unsolicited advice that Leonard Fournette no doubt receives at every turn.Sit out your junior year.No more free licks.Dont risk injury when you can become a first-round NFL draft pick.Today, Clowney says he did the right thing in playing through criticism and injury during the 2013 season at South Carolina. He says he owed it to his teammates to help them chase championships.Id still have played, Clowney said Wednesday. You can get injured anywhere. It wasnt about me, it was about my team at the time. I loved the group of guys I was playing with. I like those boys like my brothers. Some of them I still talk to to this day. And I was not going to just quit on them.So I would have played and tried to win a national championship. That what its about, he continued. I always thought about it. I always wanted a ring and to go to the national championship. I didnt get it, but I knew I had the chance when I was playing for it instead of sitting at home not doing anything.Those words might as well have come directly from Fournettes mouth, although he has not been able to back up that sentiment lately. A preseason left ankle injury has hobbled LSUs All-American running back throughout the season, and Saturdays game against Florida will likely be the third hell miss by the seasons midway point.Fournette says he will keep playing once he is able to, despite what a growing number of skeptics insinuates each week while he watches from the sideline.Im fine, Fournette said the day after a Sept. 24 loss to Auburn, where the ankle visibly bothered him even as he rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries. Overall Im going to be here playing with my brothers each game. Thats not going to change. Im just ready to play again.Fournette has not played since making those comments on the day LSU athletic director Joe Alleva fired coach Les Miles and replaced him with Ed Orgeron. He sat out Saturdays 42-7 win over Missouri and Orgeron said Wednesday that he does not expect Fournette to be available against the Gators, either.But should he return at all? Fournette already plays a contact-heavy position, and his physical running style only adds to the punishment that his body absorbs.Thats part of the reason Fournettes family took out two $10 million insurance policies -- a detail first reported in May by CBSSports.com -- as he approached what will almost certainly be his final college season.But self-preservation isnt really Fournettes thing. Teammates expect to eventually see the same Leonard who happily bowled over tacklers in meaningless spring practices return to the lineup once his ankle heals.Most guys on this team dont have that sort of thing. We dont have insurance policies on our draft status, LSU fullback J.D. Moore said. But I think his goal right now, his mindset, is hes got to be as healthy as he can be. I dont think it does him or the team any good if hes playing one game and sitting out the next. Thats just not the way he wants to operate. So I think if it takes a little longer on the front end to get him healthy to have more success on the back end, where really thats the meat of our schedule at the end of the year, I think thats his mindset -- trying to be as healthy as he can be.Thats advice that Clowney would likely offer, as well. Playing is one thing. Potentially hurtingg yourself or your team by playing before your body is ready is another.ddddddddddddSay he would have went out there with not that good of an ankle, he might have hurt something else or he might have done something else, said LSUs Ethan Pocic, the?top senior center prospect?in?ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.s latest 2017 draft rankings. Say me for instance, if I cant go, Im not going to go and maybe put [running back Derrius] Guice [in jeopardy] or the quarterback, because if I cant do my job, I dont want to let my teammates down.Thats the fine line that a superstar with high-first-round potential must walk.Clowney dealt with heavy criticism when a series of minor injuries knocked him out of two games and affected his production during his junior season. Like Fournette in 2016, Clowney -- also a former ESPN No. 1 overall high school prospect and first-team All-American as a sophomore -- entered that fall as a Heisman Trophy contender whose name sat high atop NFL draft boards for the upcoming year.His junior-year downturn generated plenty of debate leading up to the 2014 draft, but Clowney still went No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans. And even if he doesnt go with the very first pick should he enter next years draft, Fournettes ceiling seems just as high. He currently occupies the No. 1 spot?on?ESPN analyst Todd McShays Top 32 list and trails only Texas A&Ms Myles Garrett on Kipers Big Board.As McShay wrote, Resting until hes right will be the best thing for his long-term future. After logging 513 total touches in his previous two seasons, Fournette has little left to prove to NFL scouts.In the meantime, Fournette has maintained his role as a team leader from the sideline, even as teammates recognize his frustration.We all know hes disappointed he isnt playing, Guice said, but whenever I come on the sideline, were hugging, were doing our little handshake or hes just giving me some advice, telling me how I did on the previous play or drive. To me, hes supportive on the sideline. So all the He looks mad, I dont know where that comes from.As Moore indicated, the meat of LSUs schedule still lies ahead. Although the Tigers lost twice in a disappointing September that led to Miles dismissal, they are still in the thick of the SEC West race since games against division rivals Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M await them in the second half of the season. Fournette would be LSUs ace in the hole for that stretch run, assuming that he is healthy and engaged when that key portion of the schedule arrives.It remains to be seen how quickly Fournettes ankle will recover, but Orgeron, for one, does not expect to have any problems keeping his star running back engaged despite the personal interests that would convince many others to sit out.Sometimes it can be [difficult]. But you know, Leonard is a different cat, Orgeron said. Leonard has a high character. Hes a team guy. He wants the team to win, have success. I think he was happy to see the offense have success. I think he was happy to see Guice and Williams have such a successful night [against Missouri], and Im sure he wants to get back in there as soon as he possibly can.ESPN Texans reporter Sarah Barshop contributed to this report.? ' ' '