The air went out of the WTA balloon shortly after the US Open, when Serena Williams announced that she would play no more tour events until the WTA Finals in Singapore. The decision all but conceded the prized year-end No. 1 ranking to the woman who deposed Williams at the top, No. 1 ranked Angelique Kerber.Now the balloon is inflated again, and dancing in the breeze, thanks to Kerbers failure to clamp down on her rivals in the weeks since the US Open.Had Kerber improved upon her solid but unspectacular results of last year this fall, she would be in position to clinch the top spot for 2016 before the start of Singapore. It was a reasonable assignment for a newly empowered player who took a quantum leap in 2016, winning two Grand Slam events. But Kerber faltered. Shes now involved in a two-person race with a rival whos still relaxing back home.Kerber will lose ground (95 points) when the rankings are issued Monday, because she was beaten one round sooner this year than last in Beijing. She will have 8,390 points, a lead of 1,340 points. The undefeated winner of the WTA finals earns 1500 points, so Williams clearly will have a shot to displace Kerber because she has no points to defend, while Kerber can add points but also has some coming off as the weeks end.As of now, Kerber could lose the coveted top ranking on the last day of the WTA season. In fact, right now she could only lose it on the final day of play in Singapore, as Williams would need to make at least the final to regain No. 1.Stranger things have happened. Remember, this is Serena Williams we are talking about.In fairness, Kerber hasnt found much favor with the draw gods this fall. She took a bruising, three-set third-round loss against Petra Kvitova in Wuhan just as the Czech was roaring back from her recent slump. In Beijing, Kerber was knocked out in the third round as well, this time by emerging giant killer No. 19 Elina Svitolina. The erratic but dangerous 22-year-old Ukrainian also bounced Williams from the Olympic Games a couple of months ago.Williams certainly has faced challenges comparable to this one. You can be sure Kerber is already hearing footsteps, and thats not going to make her life any easier at the final tournament on her schedule next week in Hong Kong. She was a finalist there last year, so shell have to win the event outright in order to add insurance points to her ranking.Kerber can add 100 points if she wins Hong Kong, which will also feature Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Sam Stosur and Alize Cornet. Anything less than a final for Kerber and she loses points with Williams gaining some precious breathing room.The current ranking system can actually give players a delayed reward for poor performances. Kerber has never made it out of the round-robin portion of the WTA Finals in three trips (shes won just two single matches). Last year, she won one match and will be defending just 370 points.No matter how you cut it, Williams has very little wiggle room -- but there is room after the latest turn of events in Beijing.Williams decision to return for the WTA Finals always seemed more like a tour-related obligation rather than a legacy-building opportunity. Had Kerber clinched the top ranking, Williams might have gone into the finals relaxed and happy to hit a few balls and pick up a kings ransom in prize money. After all, she left the tour in order to get healthy for 2017, not to train like mad to make a final push at Singapore. Its also clear that Williams has been enjoying life, as her Twitter feed and videos -- like the most recent one of her salsa dancing -- confirm.But if she goes into the WTA Finals with a chance to win back the No. 1 ranking, the vibe in Singapore changes. The tournament will matter. Whether Williams likes it or not, Singapore becomes the third potential showdown on a big stage with Kerber. Then the question becomes, how prepared is Williams?Thats where the difference in their WTA Finals records might come into play. Williams is 29-6 (five titles), while is just Kerber, 2-7. But given Kerbers lead in rankings points, even that might not be enough. Cheap Hornets Jerseys Authentic .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. Miles Bridges Jersey . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". http://www.cheaphornetsjerseys.com/ . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Cheap Charlotte Hornets Jerseys . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Wholesale Hornets Jerseys . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football.With Andy Murray set to face old rival Novak Djokovic in the ATP World Tour Final on Sunday for the right to be year-end world No 1, we look at their previous encounters. Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals November 20, 2016, 5:45pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass When Djokovic secured a sixth Australian Open title and a first at Roland Garros to become only the third man to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time, it looked like the Serb would go on and dominate the rest of the season.He was halfway towards a calendar Grand Slam, a feat only achieved by two men, Don Budge and Rod Laver, the last of which was in 1969. Tour Finals at the O2 ATP World Tour Finals: We look back at previous finals played at Londons O2 Arena But then his season unravelled while Murrays took off with success at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics.When Djokovic was beaten in the final of the US Open by an inspired Stan Wawrinka, Murray seized his opportunity to chase down his arch-nemesis for top spot by winning back-to-back titles in China followed by more success in Vienna before landing the coveted world No 1 spot at the Paris Masters. Murrays climb to greatness Andy Murray has climbed to the top of the tennis rankings And now the two men will meet at Londons magnificent O2 Arena on Sunday when they go head-to-head for the right to end this season as year-end world No 1.Murray will enter the final just a mere 130 points ahead of Djokovic, who had spent 122 consecutive weeks as No 1 from July 2014, but the Serb will be out to regain top spot. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Djokovic holds a 24-10 win-loss record against the Scot and has lost only three times in their last 16 meetings dating back to the Wimbledon final in 2013. This will be their first meeting since the French Open final in early June.Here, we delve into the archives and look back at their most memorable matches.2011: Australian Open, final, Djokovic won 6-4 6-2 6-3 Murray could not beat Djokovic in two years Having lost to Roger Federer the previous year and in New York two years earlier, Murray was looking finally to prove he could cut it in a Grand Slam final.The Scots wretched record in major finals continued, however, as he went down in straight sets to an inspired Djokovic, who began the season by winning 43 consecutive matches and ended it with three major titles.Djokovic not only broke the Nadal-Federer stranglehold on the games major trophies, the 23-year-old Serbian made a compelling case to be admitted to their elite company, said the Sydney Morning Herald.2012: Australian Open, semi-final, Djokovic won 6-3 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 7-5 Murray and Djokovic have competed since their early days Murray had the perfect opportunity to exact revenge on Djokovic the following year in Melbourne, and he almost did it during an epic encounter that lasted four hours, 50 minutes.Having just appointed Ivan Lendl as his coach, Murray fought back from losing the first set to win the next two, but defending champion Djokovic recovered to clinch victory and give Murray the unwanted tag of being the first man in the open era to be eliminated in semi-finals at four successive Grand Slams.2012: London Olympics, semi-final, Murray won 7-5 7-5 Murray beat Djokovic at the Olympics Just a month after suffering a heartbreaking Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer, Murray enjoyed what was then his finest run and it came on the All England Club grass, beating Djokovic to guarantee himself a medal at his home Olympics. Murray lapped up the attention from the raucous crowd before going on to exact revenge against Federer in the final to win gold.2012: US Open, final, Murray won 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 He won the US Open final over his great rival Murray ended Britains 76-year wait for a Grand Slam mens singles champion following an epic victory that took four hours, 54 minutes to achieve.The Scot sank to his knees and covered his mouth in disbelief at what he had achieved following four failed attempts to win a Grand Slam final.When I realised I had won, I was a little bit shocked, I was very relieved and I was very emotional, Murray said after recovering from letting a two-set lead slip away to win in five. Andy Murray reflects on his five-set win over Novak Djokovic in the 2012 US Open final 2013, Australian Open, final, Djokovic won 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-2 Djokovic edged out Murray for the Australian Open title Djokovic underlined his physical superiority as he recovered from a set down to win in four sets and become the first man in the Open era to win three Australian Open titles in a row.Again the match was a dogfight as the first two sets alone ran for well over two hours. One crucial moment came at 2-2 in the second-set tie-breaker, when Murray stopped in the middle of a second serve to catch a white feather as it floated to the ground - and then double-faulted, giving Djokovic an opening that he gratefully accepted.I thought it was a good idea to move [the feather], Murray said Maybe it wasnt because I obviously double-faulted. No, you know, at this level it can come down to just a few points here or there.2013, Wimbledon, final, Murray won 6-4 7-5 6-4 Murrays biggest win was against Djokovic at Wimbledon The match that will define Murrays career ended with one of the most dramatic matches ever seen in a Grand Slam final. The Scot had fought back from a break down to win the second set and recovered from a similar deficit in the third to leave himself serving for a place in the history books. He created Wimbledon history with victory over the Serb He looked to have done it when he moved to 40-0 but Djokovic saved all three match points and had three break points of his own before finally netting a backhand on Murrays fourth chance.Mentally, that last game will be the toughest game Ill play in my career, said Murray after he had finally consigned Fred Perrys status as the last British man to win a Wimbledon singles title to history.2014, US Open, quarter-final, Djokovic won 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (1-7) 6-2 6-4 Murray was left disappointed at the US Open Djokovic won all four of their matches that year as Murray struggled to regain form and fitness following back surgery.It was all to play for after they shared the first two sets in New York, with Murray bludgeoning forehands like never seen before, but he let the momentum slip early in the third set and was never able to regain it as he faded physically.The contest began at 9.43pm local time in New York and the clock was well past 1am by the time it had finished.2015, Australian Open, final, Djokovic won 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-0 Murray looks on as Djokovic holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup Djokovic beat Murray to win fifth Australian Open title, but the four-set victory was punishing and painful on both players.ddddddddddddThe Scot had his chances and for two-and-a-half-sets both players went at it hammer and tongs, but Murray was eventually outfought, and seemingly outkidded, as the Serb looked down and out after going a break down in the third before miraculously reviving and going on to win the battle.2015, French Open, semi-final, Djokovic won 6-3 6-3 5-7 5-7 6-1 Murray was beaten in five sets over two days at the French Open Murrays hopes of winning a third Gram Slam title were crushed again by Djokovic after the world No 1 held off a spirited fightback to book his place in the French Open final.Murray had clawed back the third set before play was suspended at 3-3 in the fourth and the British No 1 picked up where he left off the following day by breaking in the 11th game of the fourth set to send it to a fifth.Djokovic, however, was relentless in the final set, breaking twice to clinch victory, sealing his win with an ace, although he was beaten by an inspired Stan Wawrinka in the final.This is one of the toughest matches we have had, no doubt about that, said Djokovic. We tend to run each other around and play cat and mouse game, and its tiring. Its exhausting to play him.2015, Montreal Masters, final, Murray won 6-4 4-6 6-3 Murray snapped an eight-match losing streak against Djokovic at the Montreal Masters Finally, an eight-match losing streak that dated back to Murrays 2013 Wimbledon victory was snapped.Murray converted his fifth attempt at match point to end a two-year drought against Djokovic just hours after his coach Amelie Mauresmo gave birth.The Scot dominated the match from the baseline to claim an 11th Masters title. A look back to the 2015 Montreal final between Djokovic and Murray 2016, Australian Open, final, Djokovic won 6-1 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Murray looks on in dejection after another defeat Down Under Murray racked up five losing finals at the same Slam - an Open Era record - and appeared like a man with his mind elsewhere with fatherhood imminent.The match itself did not live up to the occasion and Djokovic made it look all too easy on his favourite surface, equalling Roy Emersons record of six Australian titles.Murray said courtside: I feel like Ive been here before. Congratulations Novak, six Australian Opens, an incredible feat, and incredible consistency the last year. Djokovic lifted the trophy for a record-equalling sixth time at Melbourne Park Murray won only five points in the first 20 minutes in a slow-burning contest in which the Scot racked up a number of unforced errors.Djokovic, 171-1 in his career when two sets up, made it 172 despite Murray taking the third to a tie-break.2016, Rome Masters, final, Murray won 6-3 6-3 Highlights from the Rome Masters final, as Murray faced Djokovic in a repeat of the Madrid Open final a week earlier Murray, who split from his coach, Amelie Mauresmo, sent out a warning ahead of the French Open by snapping Djokovics 17-match winning streak against Top 10 opponents.In a repeat of the Madrid Open final, which Djokovic won, Murray became the first British man to win at the Foro Italico since Patrick Hughes in 1931 and celebrated his 29th birthday in fine style, despite the Serb being fatigued following an epic semi-final against Kei Nishikori.The key for Murray was winning 82 per cent of points on first serve, as Djokovic lost for just the fifth time in nine months while the win was only Murrays 10th in 33 matches against the Serb. Murray defeated Djokovic in emphatic style to claim his first ATP Rome 1000 Masters title 2016, French Open, final, Djokovic won 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 French Open woe for Murray in Paris Murray suffered his eighth major final defeat as Djokovic finally took the Roland Garros title and with it his place in the highest pantheon of tennis greats.The top-ranked Serb became the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four trophies at the same time after a convincing victory in his fourth Paris final, despite dropping the opening set.It was an all-too familiar feeling for Murray as high hopes gave way to helplessness in the face of Djokovics brilliance, with five of his final defeats coming against the man he first faced as an 11-year-old. You can watch the action between the two best players in the world unfold live on Sky Sports 3 from 5.45pm The Scot, the first British man in 79 years to reach the final in Paris, fought for all he was worth in the fourth set but ultimately he had no answer.Its going to take a long time for it to happen again, said Murray. Everyone here is extremely lucky to see it. Me personally, being on the opposite side, it sucks to lose the match but Im proud to be part of today. Sunday will end title debate Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic can both win for right to end year as world No 1, says Mark Petchey Check our game-by-game updates from Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic in the ATP World Tour Final from Londons O2 Arena on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis.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: World No 1 permutations Sunday will end title debate Murrays climb to greatness Murray must show belief Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys China Womens NFL Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Outlet Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL White Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '