non-conference losing streak is the

It usually pays to be a top seed in tennis. Early upsets, while they happen, arent commonplace. But at the Rio Olympics, being a favorite has become a curse.Through four days, the Games have lost a host of star players, making this one of the more bizarre, unpredictable events in recent memory.Heres a recap of the first four days:Day 1Kirsten Flipkens def. No. 5 Venus Williams 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5)Few athletes have worn the red, white and blue prouder than Venus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist (1 singles, 3 doubles). However, Venus, the fifth seed, lost a heartbreaking 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) opening-day match in Rio to Flipkens, a Belgian ranked No. 62 in the world. Venus did not speak to reporters afterward, but U.S. coach Mary Joe Fernandez told the media Venus has been feeling ill before leaving for the Olympics. The same day, No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska suffered a straight-sets loss against Saisai Zheng.Day 2Juan Martin del Potro?def. No. 1 Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2)The incredible shot-making and raw emotion will be remembered as much as the magnitude of this loss by Djokovic. Although Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, has fought back from multiple wrist injuries, the reality was that many believed he would never return to the player he once was. But the unseeded Argentine crushed serve after serve and forehand after forehand from the start. Djokovic never had a break-point opportunity in the match. Afterward, del Potro broke down in tears after his biggest win since that US Open seven years ago, while Djokovic was equally as distraught after failing in his quest to capture a gold medal that has eluded him throughout his career.Day 2Lucie Safarova/Barbora Strycova?def. No. 1?Venus Williams?and Serena Williams 6-3, 6-4Riding a 15-0 record heading into Rio, never before had the Williams sisters lost an Olympic doubles match together. But with Serena playing her second match of the day, and Venus still suffering from health issues that had plagued her the day before, the top seeds fell in straight sets to a Czech team that wasnt supposed to be playing together in the first place. (Strycova was a late replacement for Karolina Pliskova.) On the mens side, the No. 2-seeded Murray brothers, Andy and Jamie, also lost.Day 3Gilles Muller def. No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-3The third day of Rios tennis event was the only one without a monumental upset. However, Frances top player, Tsonga, fell rather meekly to hard-serving countryman Muller. Tsonga had entered Rio riding a wave of momentum after reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals.Day 4No. 15 Elina Svitolina def. No. 1 Serena Williams 6-4, 6-3Serena has had these kind of days before, as evidenced by last years US Open semifinals. But what we saw on Day 4 in Rio was a tentative, sloppy player whose greatest weapon -- her serve -- went haywire. Late in the second set, Serena committed five double faults in one game alone. After all the positive energy she had garnered during her run to the Wimbledon title, this one came as a stunner. Serena never found a rhythm in the match against the Ukrainian and complained of the same shoulder pain that kept her out of the Rogers Cup the week before. Wholesale Custom Athletics Shirts . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Custom Athletics Jersey China . PAUL, Minn. http://www.customathleticsjersey.com/ .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Athletics Jerseys China . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Custom Tony Phillips Jersey . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. SEATTLE -- Nevadas Marcus Marshall knew the clock was running down, knew he didnt have time to try and get around Washingtons Matisse Thybulle. The only option was flipping an off-balance runner toward the basket.He did it just in time.The guy sitting at the top of the building today knew that we were going to him down the stretch because we went to him for 4 1/2 minutes and we rode him, Nevada coach Eric Musselman said. Special players make special shots.Marshall hit the 15-foot runner with less than a second remaining to lift Nevada past Washington 87-85 on Sunday night, making a strong statement the Wolf Pack (8-2) want to be considered contenders when Mountain West Conference play begins.Marshalls shot capped a 32-point night by the senior and was the last of three huge shots he made over the final four minutes as the Wolf Pack picked up their second win this season over a Pac-12 school. Marshall was unable to shake Thybulle, but was able to slide the shot just over the rim with 0.2 seconds remaining.Honestly when I drove I felt some contact so I knew the clock was going down so I just put it up, Marshall said. Im capable of hitting that shot even with contact.Somehow, it was the shot that both coaches wanted. Musselman wanted his star with the ball in his hands. Washington coach Lorenzo Romar got his best defender to force a challenged look at the basket, with Marshall moving to his left and shooting with his right.On one hand, youd like to see Marshall in `Horse or any other game shoot a running right-hander going to his left and see how many times it would go in, Romar said.Marshall was 11-of-24 shooting, but 7 of 7 on free-throws. The Wolf Pack made 22 of 29 at the free-throw line, while Washington was just 11 of 14.Washington (4-5) rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit, pulling even at 85-85 on a pair of free throws from Markelle Fultz with 12 seconds left. Washingtons star freshman finished with 21 points, but appeared to tire in the second half after scoring 15 points in the first half, and twice in the final two minutes had shots blocked.dddddddddddd. The second block came on a 3-point attempt that could have given Washington the lead with less than a minute remaining.David Crisp also had 21 points, all coming in the second half, and his scoring surge midway through the half got Washington back into the game. Crisp had 12 points during a 3 1/2-minute span, but the Huskies never led in the second half.We just kept talking about, `Were not letting (Fultz) beat us, Musselman said. If Crisp hits another shot, we go home, get on the airplane and thats how it is, but were not letting Fultz beat us under any circumstances.While Marshall was the star, Nevada got a huge contribution from D.J. Fenner off the bench. The Seattle native scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half, while Cameron Oliver added 18 points.We played tough, we played physical and we played confident, Musselman said. I think our guys came in to this building tonight expecting to win.BIG PICTURENevada: The Wolf Pack won their third straight after losing to Iona in the finals of the Great Alaska Shootout and continued their success in close games. Nevada has won five of its past six games decided by 10 points or less.Washington: The Huskies were dominated on the offensive boards again. Nevada had a 17-8 advantage, leading to 19 second-chance points, including 15 second-chance points in the first half.LOSING SKIDWashingtons four-game non-conference losing streak is the longest of Romars tenure. Perhaps most concerning for the Huskies, Romar acknowledged that effort has been an issue at times early in the season.Tonight our effort was better, though, Romar said. But at times, yes, effort is a question.UP NEXTNevada: The Wolf Pack will host UC Irvine on Wednesday.Washington: The Huskies will host Western Michigan next Sunday. ' ' '