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Winning a Grand Slam tennis tournament requires years of practice and preparation, but the unruly, random path to victory is framed in a matter of mere minutes.Welcome to the US Open draw, circa 2016 -- our road map for the fortnight that begins Monday.Hoping to avoid that hot qualifier right out of the box? Perhaps dodge the dangerous floater in the third round? Maybe lock in a few comfortable opponents youve never lost to? The die is cast as quickly as the numbered chip comes out of the lidless silver trophy.Friday at the National Tennis Center, all 256 slots for the mens and womens singles draws were revealed with tournament referee Brian Earley serving as master of ceremonies. The highlights:Best first-round matchesMen: No. 16 seed Feliciano Lopez versus Borna Coric. This one nicely frames the changing-of-the-guard vibe of this looming event. Lopez, a 34-year-old Spaniard, was a surprise quarterfinalist in New York a year ago. Serbias Coric, still a teenager, beat Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal in back-to-back matches last week in Cincinnati before retiring (knees) against eventual champion Marin Cilic. Coric, according to his team, should be good to go.Women: No. 1 Serena Williams versus?Ekaterina Makarova. This one is just pure nastiness for Serena, but it could be the wake-up she needs. After a rough go at the Rio Olympics, theres no chance Serena will take the crafty Russian lightly. It was Makarova who beat Serena four years ago in the fourth round of the Australian Open, and she comes in as the newly minted Rio gold-medal winner with doubles partner Elena Vesnina. Serena, who has the pressure of some serious history in her sights, has beaten Makarova in straight sets in their two previous US Open encounters, in 2012 and 2014.Toughest quarter of the drawMen: Top quarter, top half. At first glance, it might appear that No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic could have a dicey first-round match, but 2013 Wimbledon semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz of Poland is only 1-4 in his US Open career. More concerning is the rest of that bracket, which is laced with heavy hitters -- not the best thing for an ailing left wrist. Djokovic could see ace machine John Isner, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Kevin Anderson, not to mention a projected quarterfinals meeting with No. 7 seed Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion.Women: Top quarter, bottom half. While Serena and Simona Halep are projected to meet in the quarterfinals of the top quarter, the third quarter is loaded with young power. In theory, American Madison Keys, 21, would see French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, 22, in the quarters. But there are also these players to consider: Coco Vandeweghe, who got to the fourth round at Wimbledon, and Rio singles gold medalist Monica Puig.Favorites most at riskMen: No. 3 seed Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss is a two-time Grand Slam champion, but he has his hands full with a first-round match against wily Fernando Verdasco, who was a US Open quarterfinalist in 2009-10. Believe it or not, Verdasco has won three of their five career matches. That includes a victory earlier this year on the grass at Queens Club -- and the only hard-court meeting, four years ago in Acapulco. If thats not bad enough, Wawrinka could face ascendant Aussie Kyrgios in a fourth-round match -- if he makes it that far.Women: A year ago, No. 7 seed Roberta Vinci was the surprise finalist in New York, stunning Serena in the semifinals. Even if she gets past the sometimes-dangerous Anna-Lena Friedsam in her first-round match, American Christina McHale and Sabine Lisicki could await in the second and third rounds. Lisicki, who pounds the ball, made it to the fourth round a year ago.Favorites best positioned to flourishMen: No. 2 seed Andy Murray. In some minds, hes the favorite here, and now he has a relatively easy route to the quarterfinals. The 29-year-old Scot has the momentum, coming off his victories at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics and a finals appearance in Cincinnati. His first-round match is against Lukas Rosol, who is 1-5 at the US Open. Next up could be Juan Monaco in the second, No. 30 Gilles Simon in the third and Lopez in the fourth. No. 6 Kei Nishikori -- a finalist here two years ago -- would be the projected quarterfinal opponent.Women: No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber. She has a reasonably comfortable draw that begins with Polona Hercog. Alize Cornet might be waiting in the second, with No. 27 Sara Errani in the third. In the fourth it could be No. 14 Petra Kvitova, who has won two Grand Slam singles titles but reached the quarters in New York only once. Vinci is slated to meet Kerber in the quarters.Cinderella candidatesMen: Lucas Pouille. In his last major, the No. 24 seed went all the way to Wimbledons quarterfinals. The 22-year-old Frenchman has a decent draw and could face Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round. Nadal, whose physical condition after the rousing Rio Olympics might have been compromised, theoretically would provide fourth-round opposition.Women: Karolina Pliskova Shes the No. 10 seed, so were taking some liberties here. But based on her track record in Slams -- in 17 majors, she has never advanced past the third round -- we believe shes capable of losing a glass slipper. While Pliskovas only 2-3 in previous US Open action, the Czech is having another terrific year. Her draw is doable; shes projected to face No. 6 Venus Williams in the quarterfinals. Pliskova leads all women with 407 aces, 147 more than second-place Serena Williams. Dave Robinson Super Bowl Jersey . 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Blake Martinez Super Bowl Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. RENO, Nev. -- Cameron Oliver scored 24 points on 9 of 12 shooting as Nevada cruised to an 83-58 victory against Oregon State on Friday night.Nevada (2-1) took a 48-25 advantage into halftime and never trailed.It was sweet, man. It was sweet, said Oliver, a sophomore who originally signed with Oregon State before starting his collegiate career to Nevada last year. Playing against Oregon State, Ill always have a chip on my shoulder. Every time I play them, I really want to show them that aggression.Oliver left Oregon State after former head coach Craig Robinson was fired in 2014. Oliver said Friday the coaching change led to him leaving the program and coming to Nevada.I think he was focused tonight and he took really good shots and he got into a rhythm and they had absolutely no answer for him at all, Nevada head coach Eric Musselman said.Oliver added seven rebounds.Nevada shot 48 percent from the field. Oregon State (2-2) shot 46 percent.Tres Tinkle led Oregon State (2-2) with 16 points on 7 of 16 shooting. Beaver forward Gligorije Rakocevic scored 10 points with seven rebounds.Were young, Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle. We have to understand our scouting report and execution. Those are things we got to get better at. Weve got a lot of guys that havent played any college basketball. We have one senior. But thats really no excuse.Nevada outrebounded Oregon State, 37-32. Wolf Pack forward Jordan Caroline led all playeers with 12 rebounds.dddddddddddd.Nevada guard D.J. Fenner added 17 points.The Wolf Pack jumped out to a 10-4 lead before the first timeout and stretched its lead to 22-10 with 10:32 in the first half when guard Marcus Marshall found Oliver racing toward the basket on a fast break, which he finished with one of his several dunks.On Nevadas final possession of the first half with seven seconds on the clock, Marshall dribbled off the inbound, stopped about eight feet behind the three-point line and converted on yet another Nevada field goal as the first half ended.After entering the break down 23 points, Oregon State failed to cut the deficit under 21 points in the second half.I thought our intensity from the opening tip was really, really good, Musselman said.BIG PICTUREOregon State: After turning the ball over 27 times in a 63-60 upset loss at home against Lamar, Oregon States struggles continued at Nevada. The Beavers will look to bounce back Tuesday at Tulsa.Nevada: Nevada won one of its most high-profiled out of conference home games of the season and looks to continue that momentum as one of eight teams in the Great Alaska Shootout beginning Sunday with a tournament home game against Iona.UP NEXTOregon State goes to Tulsa for a game Tuesday.Nevada stays at home to face Iona on Sunday night. ' ' '