ERST LESEN! » e 100th lap. He finished 28th.PENALTIES: Base

LONDON -- It was a foreboding touch to hear a gong-type noise played on U.K. television coverage as Andy Murray failed to save a fifth set point against Kei Nishikori in an epic 18-minute first-set tiebreaker on Wednesday.A similar booming sound played over Arthur Ashe Stadiums loudspeakers in Septembers US Open. After the mysterious noise, Murray melted down in a five-set quarterfinal defeat to Nishikori. But this time, Murray just about regrouped at the World Tour Finals to beat the world No. 5 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4.He still flirted with disaster here. Several times he got wound up into a similar state of agitation as he had in that fourth set at Flushing Meadows; he was distracted throughout, remonstrating with himself and shouting at his box.I didnt feel like I was hitting the ball as well as I would have liked, Murray later told a news conference. He was dictating so many of the points. For me it was frustrating. Didnt matter whether I tried to hit the ball a bit harder, adjusted my position on the court, nothing was making me hit the ball cleaner.As the match went on, I was getting kind of frustrated, then becoming like sarcastic with myself that I couldnt seem to hit the ball as clean as I wanted to. Yeah, I dont often do that, but today I was definitely being more sarcastic towards myself than usual.His frustrations almost cost him dearly when he failed to take two set points at 5-4 in the second set, having already been broken back once. He then needed four games to finally put away Nishikori, after building a 5-1 lead in the decider.No doubt about it, this was a step up in class for the Scot -- not since his French Open final defeat to Novak Djokovic in June had he faced a top-five opponent.There was nothing really in it, Murray admitted. He could have won in two sets, for sure. He was dictating many points. He had a number of chances.Murrays place in the semifinals is far from guaranteed, though, after Stan Wawrinka?rebounded from an opening loss to beat Marin Cilic 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) in Wednesdays evening session at Londons O2 Arena.If Wawrinka beats Murray in two sets, and Nishikori wins against Cilic, then Murray will be out of the tournament and Djokovic will finish as year-end No. 1. But if Cilic gets his first win here, Murray and Wawrinka will both qualify for the semifinals regardless.All I know is if I want to have a chance to qualify, I need to win, said Wawrinka. Thats all I know. Thats all Im trying to do.Im going to try to play my best tennis, to beat the world No. 1. Its going to be a tough match. We played many times each other. Hes playing his best tennis so far. Its going to be interesting. Im happy to play here in front of his home crowd. Im sure its going to be a great atmosphere.One man who definitely wont be here at the weekend is Gael Monfils, who withdrew from the Tour Finals with a rib injury that he first picked up in Stockholm last month. The Frenchman had lost his opening two matches to Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem -- Djokovic will now play alternate David Goffin in his final round robin match Thursday.Definitely I cant play for tomorrow because I still feel worse and worse, my ribs, that I had lately, Monfils told a news conference. Yeah, I feel that even yesterday was tough in the game. I feel unfortunately today I couldnt be feeling great and couldnt practice, so I just decide that I couldnt play tomorrow.Monfils announcement pushed Murrays own news conference even further back -- the Scot had already been scheduled to come in to press two hours after his match against Nishikori finished.I was in the ice bath after the match, he said when he finally turned up. That obviously helps kind of make you feel a bit better. But, yeah, sort of 10, 12 hours afterwards the body starts to stiffen up. Im sure tomorrow Ill be a bit sore. But its positive I get a days rest, a days recovery tomorrow.He will need the rest -- this was officially the longest three-set match in Tour Finals history at 3 hours, 20 minutes.Not quite as long as the near five-hour epic between Murray and Nishikori that went five sets in the Davis Cup in March, nor the three hours, 57 minutes they played in New York, but still draining.While it wasnt a vintage performance, Murray found a way to get the job done, stretching his win streak to 21 matches, one short of his career-best set earlier this summer.For now, he is quickly learning that it is one thing to get to the top of the rankings, and another thing to stay there. He must match or outdo Novak Djokovics results here to finish year-end No. 1, and it could come down to a straight shootout in Sundays final.I think for the tournament and for everyone interested in tennis that would probably be the perfect way to finish the year, admitted Murray. Balenciaga Sandals Discount . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Balenciaga Shoes Wholesale China . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. http://www.balenciagacheapshoes.com/balenciaga-sandals-sale.html Balenciaga Sock Shoes Cheap . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. Balenciaga Shoes Clearance . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. JOLIET, Ill. -- Martin Truex Jr. went from a completely unraveled tire that left him a lap down to the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup championship lead for the first time in his career.He can thank a late caution in what has been an emotional year for the small-team driver.Truex shot to the front after a late re-start and pulled away to give Furniture Row Racing a NASCAR Sprint Cup playoff-opening victory Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.Ive had a lot of practice at it, Truex said about the on-track obstacles. I think my approach really changed two years ago when (girlfriend) Sherry got diagnosed with cancer. My approach to all those things changed and made me a better driver.NASCAR announced after the race that Truexs No. 78 Toyota failed the laser inspection, but the infraction was not at the level of negating the victory for Chase qualification purposes. Truex is expected to receive a point penalty this week.Rookie Chase Elliott appeared on his way to an easy win until Michael McDowell blew a tire and spun out to bring a caution with five laps left.Elliott and Truex came in to pit for tires, with some non-Chase drivers Ryan Blaney and Kasey Kahne and Chase contender Carl Edwards staying on the track.Truex restarted fourth and Elliott fifth, and Truex quickly got to the front and held off Joey Logano on the final lap for his third victory of the season. Truex is guaranteed to move on when the Chase field is cut from 16 to 12 in two weeks.Truex, whose team gets technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing, made the last four in the 2015 Chase. His 2016 season started with near miss at the Daytona 500 and a Coca-Cola 600 win, while Sherry Pollex has battled ovarian cancer. Shes now in remission.You have to understand, this isnt the end of the world. Truex said of racing setbacks. We can overcome it. Thats what we did today.Elliott, a rookie, finished third, followed by Blaney and Chase driver Brad Keselowski, who sits second in points.Its not yours until its over, the 20-year-old Elliott said. Thats part of life, man. Youre not dumb. Weve all watched this stuff long enough to know these races dont go green that long.Truex led early in the race only to have his tire come completely unraveled. It led to an unscheduled stop that left him a lap down in the 400-mile race.The hard compound came off it, Cole Pearn, Truexs crew chief, said..dddddddddddd I guess (Goodyear) saw a couple other tires and came down and told us a certain sequence number had an issue.Truex had no other tire issues on the 1.5-mile oval and outraced Kevin Harvick, who also got into early trouble, to be in position for the free pass to the lead lap on the next caution.Jimmie Johnson dominated the middle of the race, leading 118 laps, until Elliott got by him on lap 176 of 267.Johnson was running second when he was caught speeding on pit road during the last green-flag stop, yelling no way! on his radio when told he had to serve a pass-through penalty. Johnson finished 12th, but his car also failed laser inspection and he could plummet in the points standings.Elliott led for 75 laps in what was a clean race with only three cautions until McDowells late wreck changed the dynamic of the race.I feel for Chase. I know what hes going through, Truex said. I wasnt going to catch him.WHOS HOT: Chase drivers Truex, Logano, Elliott, Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth all finished in the top 10. Jamie McMcMuray was 11th, Kurt Busch 13th, Austin Dillon 14th, Carl Edwards 15th and Tony Stewart 16th.WHOS NOT: Kyle Larson, who had the fastest car in Saturdays practice, had to change a transmission and start from the back. He finished 18th. ... Harvick ended up 20th amid multiple issues. ... Rookie Chris Buescher fell a lap down 41 laps in and two laps down before the 100th lap. He finished 28th.PENALTIES: Based on new rules announced last week, Johnson could receive a 10-point penalty, which would drop him into a tie for 12th in the Chase standings. Truex could be docked 15 points, but the win locks him into the second round.DILLON SUBS: Ty Dillon finished 27th filling in for Regan Smith in the No. 7 Chevrolet. Smith left the track Friday and returned to North Carolina after his wife went into labor.COWABUNGA: With Nickelodeon the race sponsor, the winning trophy was a gold base with the four Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtles on top in various poses. Truex plans to put it in his shop so visiting kids can get a picture with it.UP NEXT: Two races remain before the Chase field is cut to 12. Next Sunday is a 300-mile race at New Hampshire, where Kenseth won in July. ' ' '