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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Wednesday / October 9.
  • CG09PQpWgAAhrX0It ended up being much harder than it originally appeared, but Serena Williams continued her steady assault on the history books by winning her 20th career Grand Slam title at Roland Garros on Saturday.

    Despite battling the flu for much of the tournament and being bedridden on Friday, the top-seeded Williams overcame a tough fight from No. 13 Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic to win 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 for her third French Open title and her third straight Major title. She also holds the crowns at the U.S. Open and the Australian Open. If she wins Wimbledon next month she would notch another “Serena Slam,” the name given to her accomplishment when she held all four major titles in 2002-03.

    “This is by far the most dramatic [major she has won],” Williams told Mary Carillo of NBC, referring to her four comebacks from one-set down en route to the title. “I didn’t even train yesterday. I’ve had the flu, oh my gosh, it’s been just a living nightmare….

    “I just needed to step it up and once I relaxed, I stopped thinking and I just started playing and next thing I know I won.”

    At 33, Williams passed Helen Wills Moody on the all-time women’s list at 19 majors and now trails only Margaret Court (24) and Steffi Graf (22). Court won 11 of her 24 titles at the Australian Open in the 1960s and ’70s when many top players did not play the event.

    Williams improved to 20-4 in Slam finals and 18-0 in Slam singles finals after winning the first set.

    “Twenty is pretty amazing to me,” Williams said. “Unfortunately I’m thinking about Wimbledon…I know, it’s bad, it’s bad. But I’m going to enjoy this moment I hope. I feel like I’m going to faint though, I’m exhausted..”

    After taking care of nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the quarterfinals of the French Open, it took Novak Djokovic the full five sets to dispatch Andy Murray in the semis.

    The world’s No. 1 player finally eliminated No. 3 Murray, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1 on Saturday in Paris in the continuation of a match that was suspended Friday due to darkness. It was Djokovic’s 28th straight victory this year.

    “We tend to run each other around and play cat and mouse game, and it’s tiring. It’s exhausting to play him,” Djokovic said on-court in French according to the BBC.

    “But, you know, this is the kind of situations that you work for entire year, to get yourself in a position to play against one of the biggest rivals and to fight for major titles. I’m just glad I overcome the change.”

    Former Minnesota signee Jonathan Nwankwo committed to VCU during his visit on Friday, his guardian told SNY.tv.

    The 6-foot-9 Nwankwo also considered Boston College, Pittsburgh and SMU.

    “He has a great relationship with [assistant coach] Rasheen Davis from his days at Manhattan,” Derrik Riullano told SNY.tv. “And the entire staff including Coach [Will] Wade really made him feel welcome. But it was the fans on Twitter who really made him feel welcome.”

    The news comes one day after VCU landed former St. John’s commit Samir DoughtyThey join Gerron Scissum, junior college transfer Ahmed Hamdy Mohamed and grad student Korey Billbury as newcomers to the Rams next year.

    Nwankwo played for House of Sports and Victory Rock (FL) Prep and committed to Minnesota in September over Tennessee, Seton Hall, Rice, Temple and Fordham.

    Rysheed JordanRysheed Jordan‘s career at St. John’s is done.

    The school announced Jordan has decided to pursue professional basketball opportunities and will not return to the University for the 2015-16 campaign. The 6-foot-4 guard played two seasons for the Red Storm where he averaged 12 points and three assists in 60 career appearances.

    It had recently been reported that Jordan was going to be academically ineligible for at least the first semester of next season, if not the whole year.

    That leaves incoming freshman Marcus LoVett as the likely starting point guard.

    After obtaining his release from Florida, Noah Dickerson is headed to Washington.

    “Noah told me that he was most comfortable with the guys at Washington,” Georgia Stars coach Chris Richards said. “He had a relationship with them before he committed to Florida. He has a good relationship with Coach [Lorenzo] Romar.”

    Dickerson also felt the style of play suited him.

    “[I’m looking] for a school that plays inside-out, where the post players basically run the team,” the 6-foot-8 Dickerson recently told SNY.tv. “They go inside and they let the post players make the plays.”

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