Campus Maximus » ut the fallout. He said it hasnt been a distrac

Sharon Fichmans first memory of the French Open was watching Jennifer Capriati knock off Kim Clijsters to win the 2001 title. Fichman was 10 years old at the time. She printed out a photo of a smiling Capriati holding the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen winners trophy. She then cut out a photo of her own face and pasted it over Capriatis. "That was really funny," Fichman said from Paris on Friday. It was also the beginning of her love affair with Roland Garros that will reach new heights next week when the 23-year-old from Toronto plays in the tournaments main draw -- the first time shes earned a direct entry into a Grand Slam main draw in her career. "I knew after that (Capriati victory) that I wanted to win the French Open, that was the Grand Slam when I was that age, that I really wanted to win," Fichman said on a conference call. "Ever since then, when Ive played (here) as a junior and now as a pro, I just feel more comfortable every single year. I love it here, I love Paris, I love the tournament. I really enjoy going out and competing and playing good tennis and getting better, and winning matches. Just really good memories every time Im here." Fichman, ranked a career-high 77th, faces a tough first-round opponent in sixth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic. Fichman is one of four Canadians who earned direct entry. Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., seeded No. 18, will open against Shahar Peer of Israel. On the mens side, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., will open against Australian wildcard Nick Krygios, and Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver takes on No. 60 Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia. "Its very cool for me, . . . that this is going to be the first time Ive been in the Grand Slam main draw playing here as a professional," Fichman said. "I worked really hard so Im just happy that the hard work is paying off." Fichman will also play doubles with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the Russian she partnered with to win the junior doubles title at the French Open in 2006. "Its going to be fun, hopefully we can make another good memory," she said. Fichman, who finished 2013 ranked 106th, is enjoying easily the best season of her career. She defeated Peer in the first round at Indian Wells, Calif., in March, before being eliminated by world No. 10 Sara Errani in the second round. She reached her first singles final of the season earlier this month at the $100,000 International Tennis Federation event in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Her victory over Switzerlands Timea Bacsinszky in the final was the biggest of her career. Fichman credits her switch to coach Larry Jurovich in the summer of 2012 -- and all the changes in her game and in training that came with it -- for her improvement. "I think its a lot of things," she said. "I think mentally Ive changed, Ive definitely gotten stronger. Physically Ive changed. . . and also my game has changed. Were working on different things than Im used to. Its coming close to two years now (with Jurovich) and before that I was focusing on different things. "So honestly I think its a bit of everything. But the most important thing is I really believe in what Im doing, and I believe in myself, so I think thats helping the most out of everything." Fichman knows what shes up against with Jankovic. The Serbian star defeated the Canadian 6-4, 7-6 in the second round of last summers Rogers Cup. "I have a lot of respect for her, shes an accomplished player," she said "It was a close match (at the Rogers Cup), and I know I had some chances, especially in the second set. Its going to be a tough opponent but I also think that Im playing well and I know that I did well last time, so Im just going to focus on my game and I think if I continue to fight and I execute what were working on, I have just as good a chance as any." Bouchard, meanwhile, faces Peer for the fourth time in her career -- Bouchard has won all three previous meetings. At last years French Open, the 20-year-old was defeated by Maria Sharapova in the second round. Raonic faces a rising star in Krygios. The 19-year-old Aussie was crowned champion of the International Junior Tennis Open in Repentigny, Que., in 2012. Raonic is having a strong clay court season, highlighted by a semifinal appearance at the Rome Masters last week. Hell be looking to improve on his third-round showing in Paris last year where he fell to Kevin Anderson of South Africa. Cheap Air Max Uk Sale . - The Pittsburgh Pirates plan on keeping promising left fielder Starling Marte playing alongside National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for years to come. Air Max Uk .com) - Driphus Jackson had three touchdown passes, including two in a 19-second span in the opening quarter, to guide Rice to a 30-6 rout of Fresno State at the Hawaii Bowl. http://www.cheapukairmax.com/. Now Arizonas new manager is hoping Yasmany Tomas can have the same effect on the Diamondbacks. Wholesale Air Max . Top-ranked Rafael Nadal was also taken to three sets but emerged with a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 win over Tobias Kamke of Germany, while second-seeded David Ferrer joined Murray in making an early exit after a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Daniel Brands of Germany. Wholesale Air Max Uk . -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open.RENTON, Wash. -- Richard Sherman wondered if he came to the NFL 20 years too late. The Seattle Seahawks All-Pro cornerback wondered if his swagger might have fit better a few decades earlier when that confidence and an unfiltered tongue was perhaps more accepted. "I studied the old school game more than I studied the new school game, and I play it that way. It rubs a lot of people the wrong way," Sherman said Wednesday. "Giving a true speech after a game, a true passionate speech is old school football. Playing press corner and sitting up there every play is old school football. I guess maybe I just havent adjusted to the times." Sherman spoke at length for the first time since Sundays NFC championship game win over San Francisco where his postgame comments to Fox reporter Erin Andrews became the talking point. It was a loud, emotional moment that happened just a few minutes after the Seahawks earned the second Super Bowl berth in franchise history. Sherman was at the centre of the decisive play, deflecting a pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the end zone and watching teammate Malcolm Smith run over to intercept it to clinch the victory. Shermans ensuing remarks were directed mostly at Crabtree but his intense, shouting delivery is what took people aback. Sherman said the reaction that followed over the next two days left him a little stunned as well. "I was surprised by it. Because were talking about football here and a lot of people took it a little bit further than football." Sherman said. "I guess some people showed how far we have really come in this day and age and it was kind of profound what happened and peoples opinions of that nature, because I was on a football field showing passion. Maybe it was misdirected, maybe things may have been immature, maybe things could have been worded better but this is on a football field. I didnt commit any crimes, I wasnt doing anything illegal. I was showing passion after a football game." Sherman apologized for taking away the spotlight from the performances by some of his teammates. Marshawn Lynchs 109 yards rushing and 40-yard touchdown, Jermaine Kearses 35-yard touchdown catch on fourth-down and Bobby Wagners 15 tackles all became secondary to Shermans words. What seemed to bother Sherman the most in the fallout was hearing the word "thug" attached to his name.dddddddddddd "The only reason it bothers me is it seems like its an accepted way of calling someone the N-word nowadays. Its like everybody else said the N-word and they said thug and theyre like, thats fine," Sherman said. "Thats where it kind of takes me aback. Its kind of disappointing because they know. What is the definition of a thug, really?" Sherman then referenced seeing highlights of the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames playing on Saturday when a fight broke out two seconds into the game. "They didnt even play hockey. They just threw their sticks aside and started fighting," he said. "I saw that and said, Oh, man, Im the thug? Whats going on here. Geez. Im really disappointed in being called a thug." While theres been criticism for his rant, hes also received support. Perhaps most surprising was a tweet from baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron. Not a huge user of social media — Aaron had sent seven tweets before Tuesday — his message to Sherman read, "hang in there & keep playing as well as you did Sunday. Excellent job - you have my support." Sherman was peppered with questions for more than 20 minutes Wednesday. Teammate Russell Wilson was also asked about the fallout. He said it hasnt been a distraction as the Seahawks begin preparing for Denver. Sherman also didnt like hearing that some have labeled the team villainous. "Anytime you label Russell Wilson a villain it has to be a joke," he said. Sherman said he has not reached out to Crabtree. Sherman attempted to shake Crabtrees hand following the interception only to get shoved in the face. Even after his on-field interview, Sherman continued to deride Crabtree in his postgame media session, calling the receiver "mediocre" and later saying their problems dated to an incident during an off-season event in Arizona. Sherman said he doesnt regret the choke sign he directed at San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, a gesture that drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. "No man, its Reggie Miller," Sherman said. "Its Reggie Miller. Its rivalries, right?" ' ' '