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Charles Schwab Cup points leader, opened

NEW YORK -- Two 23-year-olds, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov, broke through to their first major semifinals at Wimbledon. [url=http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-taylor-moton-panthers-jersey/]Taylor Moton Jersey[/url] . Perhaps this years U.S. Open will be the tipping point for the rise of a new generation. But recent history suggests that if somebody other than the "Big 4" wins, a veteran may be more likely. "We didnt have many young players who were able to challenge for top spots and win Grand Slam titles," Wimbledon champ Novak Djokovic said. "So this is something that is happening now, but its still a long way to the Grand Slam title. Its not something that can happen overnight." It was then-28-year-old Stan Wawrinka who snapped the streak of 16 straight Grand Slam titles by Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray when he won the Australian Open in January. The only other men in the U.S. Open field who have reached a major final in the last five years are 32-year-old David Ferrer and 28-year-old Tomas Berdych. The U.S. Open starts Monday with Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams among the big names on the court. The player with the most impressive performance leading to this tournament was 29-year-old Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga, the runner-up at the 2008 Australian Open, beat Djokovic, Murray, Dimitrov and Federer to win the title at Toronto this month. As the sport became more physical, Grand Slam titles became less likely not only for teenagers but for players in their early 20s. "Everybody realizes that youre reaching your peak physically maybe a little bit later and then theyre staying there longer, because they have the technology and theyre more systematic about their training," said Patrick McEnroe, the U.S. Tennis Associations general manager of player development. So a group of players not that young by tennis standards has gained little experience of playing in the highest-pressure moments. The oft-repeated stat is that the Big 4 have won 36 of the last 38 Grand Slam titles. Contrast that to the five years before Nadal won his first major championships at the 2005 French Open to start that streak. As Pete Sampras reign was ending and Federers beginning, 12 different players won the 20 Grand Slam titles; for six of them, it would be their only major championship. Now, its daunting not just to win championships but to even get close to them. Since Murray reached his first major semifinal at the 2008 U.S. Open, the Big 4 have hogged 63 of the 96 slots in the semis. And since the 2006 French Open, the first Federer-Nadal major final, theyve filled 58 of the 68 spots in Grand Slam title matches. Nobody else reached a major final for 10 straight events from the 2010 U.S. Open to the 2013 Australian Open. "Its definitely been a tough time for everybody else trying to break through," Raonic said. Especially younger players. Of the eight other men to play in Grand Slam title matches since the 2006 French, only Tsonga and Juan Martin del Potro were under age 24. "I was really impatient -- I wanted things to happen quick for me, just wanted to achieve right way," Dimitrov said. "I cant forget that nowadays the game has changed so much that nothing happens like that," he added, snapping his fingers. A 20-year-old del Potro stunned Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open final, seemingly heralding the arrival of a new generation. It wasnt to be. Del Potro, now 25, has been hampered by injuries and wont play in New York this year because of a wrist problem. He and his contemporaries are a glaring omission from the upper echelons of the sport. The rankings current top 10 include the two 23-year-olds, Raonic and Dimitrov; no one else is under 27. Other promising players in their mid-20s such as Kei Nishikori, Ernests Gulbis and Marin Cilic have never maintained a consistent high level. Djokovic and Murray were born a week apart in 1987; Nadal is less than a year older. If they can stay healthy -- certainly a big "if" with Nadal -- the logjam at the top could stick for a while. [url=http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-christian-mccaffrey-panthers-jersey/]Christian McCaffrey Youth Jersey[/url] . Team officials travelled to Los Angeles on Thursday night to meet with the free agent, a person with knowledge of the plans said. [url=http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-harrison-butker-panthers-jersey/]Harrison Butker Womens Jersey[/url] .com) - The fading Ottawa Senators have a chance to make up some ground in the playoff race on Tuesday night as they play host to the New York Rangers. [url=http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-harrison-butker-panthers-jersey/]http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-harrison-butker-panthers-jersey/[/url] . The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didnt come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open, where the seven-time champion failed to break par in the opening round for first time in his career.SAN ANTONIO - John Cook and Marco Dawson shared the first-round lead at 7-under 65 on Friday in the Champions Tours AT&T Championship, the final full-field event of the season.Scott Dunlap was a stroke back at TPC San Antonio, and Jay Haas was at 67 along with Guy Boros, Bart Bryant, Gary Hallberg, Tom Lehman, Peter Senior, Wes Short Jr., and Kirk Triplett. Haas won the Greater Hickory Kia Classic last week at 60 to become the 18th player to win a Champions Tour event at 60 or older.With unseasonably warm temperatures rising beyond 85 degrees and little wind, TPC San Antonios Pete Dye-designed AT&T Canyons Course offered little defence to scoring.The wind was nil, Cook said. I think the hardest it blew was 2 (mph). And the best set of greens by far.Cook won the event in 2007 and 2008 at Oak Hills. The winner last month at Pebble Beach for his 10th Champions Tour title, he hit a 3-wood approach to a foot to set up an eagle on the par-5 second hole.We might be a little greyer and have softer stomachs, but our skills areent that different than 15 or 20 years ago, Cook said, and if you get ideal conditions, you get guys who like to compete, its still pretty good. [url=http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-curtis-samuel-panthers-jersey/]Curtis Samuel Jersey[/url]. Well shoot some scores.Dawson was in the first group of the day.First off, thats always good, Dawson said. Youve got fresh greens. Now, its just a matter of trying to make putts on the weekend.Dawsons only victory in PGA Tour-sanctioned competition came in the Web.com Tours 2002 LaSalle Bank Open. He has been close this year, with a tie for third at the 3M Championship in August starting a run of four top-five finishes in five events.The top 30 on the money list after the tournament will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week in Scottsdale, Arizona.Bernard Langer, the Charles Schwab Cup points leader, opened with a 71. Langer has a tour-high five victories — two of them majors — and also leads the money list. Colin Montgomerie, second in the Schwab Cup standings, shot 68.Defending champion Kenny Perry also had a 68. 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