NEW YORK -- Angelique Kerber probably doesnt consider herself a late bloomer, but the meaty metrics of tennis suggest otherwise.The No. 2-seeded German could depart the National Tennis Center in two weeks as the WTAs No. 1-ranked player -- making her, at 28, the oldest woman ever to claim the top spot for the first time.Kerber sprinted into the second round Monday when Polona Hercog retired with a combination of illness and heat stroke after losing the first seven games in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Hercog is now 1-18 versus top-10 opponents.Serena Williams, who is defending 460 more points here than Kerber, essentially needs to last longer than Kerber in the draw to retain that No. 1 ranking. Jennifer Capriati was 25 years and 6 months old when she ascended to the No. 1 ranking for the first time, in 2001. Kerber, incredibly, would be more than three years older.A few more takeaways from the match:Startlingly swift beginning: Kerber came into New York following a pair of difficult losses -- to Monica Puig in the gold-medal match in Rio and to Karolina Pliskova in the Cincinnati final -- but there was no hangover here. Kerber won 30 of the abbreviated matchs 39 points, in a tidy total of 33 minutes.If theres pressure, shes not feeling it: Kerber could have lifted that No. 1 ranking with a title in Cincinnati but looked tired in losing to Pliskova. In her pre-tournament news conference, Kerber said she embraced questions about taking Williams ranking. On court after her win Monday, she reinforced that idea. Lets see if the day will come someday, she said. I will be really happy. Im really trying to focus here, win all the matches, and then well see.Recent history means nothing: Believe it or not, the unseeded Hercog had won two of the previous three matches against Kerber. The Slovenian, ranked No. 120 among WTA players, scored victories in Warsaw in 2010 and Monterrey a year later -- both in straight sets. Kerber now holds a 4-2 head-to-head edge.No service issues: Kerber was all over Hercogs serve, breaking her in each of three opportunities. The German won 10 of 17 points on Hercogs first serve and was 4-for-4 in the second. On her own serve, Kerber won 16 of 18 points. Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Wholesale NHL Jerseys China . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. 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MOSCOW -- Russia is confident that most of its Olympic team will be able to compete in Rio de Janeiro, but the countrys efforts to reinstate banned athletes are a mixed bag.Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on Friday told local media that 272 of the countrys athletes had been approved by international sports federations, out of an original team of 387. Mutko added that the number could rise.More than 100 Russian athletes have been excluded by sports federations, including a blanket ban on the track and field team and more than 30 rejected under new International Olympic Committee rules.After the World Anti-Doping Agency accused the Russian government of directing a vast doping cover-up, the IOC said it would not allow Russians to compete in Rio if they had previously been banned for doping, were implicated in the alleged cover-up or had not been tested often enough internationally.Most federations have not excluded Russians on the basis of a lack of testing, but rowing is the exception, having barred 19 Russians, most for insufficient tests. Testing in Russia does not count under IOC rules because of the repeated allegations made against Russias drug testing agency and national lab, both of which have been suspended.An appeal is being prepared against World Rowings decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Russian Rowing Federation head Veniamin But told The Associated Press.dddddddddddd That could send the 19 to Rio days before the Games start, if the case is heard and approved in time.Theyre now in Portugal, But said. Theyre training, and theyre ready to go.World Rowings approval process left just six rowers eligible to compete for Rio, meaning Russia could compete in only one event, the mens four. Reserve crews from around the world have rushed to Brazil to compete.There was good news for Russia on Friday, when the Russian Taekwondo Union said it had received notification from the World Taekwondo Federation that all three of its entries could compete in Rio.However, Russias best-known track and field athlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist Yelena Isinbayeva, said she had been refused in her final attempt to make the team for Rio following the blanket ban on Russia in that sport.Isinbayeva had applied again for an individual exemption but was refused by the IAAF, tracks world governing body.Unfortunately they didnt make an exception for me, she wrote on Instagram. They didnt admit me for the Olympics in Rio. The miracle didnt happen. ' ' '