NEW YORK -- A year after she was stunned in a US Open semifinal, it happened again to Serena Williams.This time the upset was crafted by No. 10 seed?Karolina Pliskova, a hard-hitting 24-year-old from the Czech Republic, who ended Williams most recent run at history 6-2, 7-6 (5).Williams, who double-faulted on match point, said her left knee, which she thought was injured during a second-round match, was a factor Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Im not going to sit here and make an excuse, the 34-year-old Williams said.Williams coach wasnt so diplomatic.Since the start, it was terrible, Patrick Mouratoglou said. She was slow, very, very slow. Much slower than usual.Mouratoglou said the injury obviously affected Williams on the court, and she tried to compensate by playing a riskier style than usual.At the end she tried to go for the winner on every shot, Mouratoglou said. This with an injury. Even if she wins the second [set], its not the point; shes not going to win the third. She cannot move. There is no match.While Williams is acknowledged to have the greatest serve ever in the womens game, it was second best against Pliskova, who had seven aces and won 84 percent of her first-serve points.America probably hates me because I beat Venus and Serena, Pliskova said after the match.Pliskova became only the fourth singles player to beat Serena and Venus Williams in the same Grand Slam event. The others --?Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin -- all retired as multimajor champions.Serena Williams vigorously disputed the idea she was tired after playing her quarterfinal match Wednesday.My mind was just a little bit everywhere, but it was what it was, Williams said. Yeah, serious left knee problems. But fatigue had nothing to do with it. If I was tired, I need to find a new career.I definitely was not beat up after my quarterfinal match.Pliskovas performance belied her experience. She was playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal, while it was Williams?33rd.I had a goal today: to beat Serena, Pliskova said in her on-court interview. And thats what I did.I dont believe it. Actually, I do believe it. I knew I could beat anyone if Im playing my game.The tantalizing laundry list of lifetime achievements Williams had within her reach -- an Open-era record 23 Grand Slam titles and an unprecedented seventh US Open championship -- will have to wait until next year.The No. 1 ranking, which she has held for 186 consecutive weeks, will now go to Angelique Kerber when the new rankings are released Monday.According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Pliskova entered the match as a more than 4-to-1 underdog.Pliskova will meet the No. 2-seeded Kerber, who defeated?Caroline Wozniacki?6-4, 6-3?in the second semifinal, in the Saturday afternoon championship final.Williams looked flat and uninspired throughout the match, possibly due to the fact she was playing for a second consecutive night. Ultimately, that was her responsibility. She asked the USTA to schedule her first match for last Tuesday, which meant playing the quarterfinals and semifinals on successive nights.Coming off a difficult match with No. 5 seed Simona Halep that she won in three sets, Williams?hit only 20 winners, as opposed to 31 unforced errors, on Thursday. She also had a difficult time reading Pliskovas serve.If Im a professional and I cant recover, well thats that, Williams said.Information from ESPNs Jane McManus was used in this report. Cheap Nmd Australia . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Adidas Nmd Australia . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace. http://www.cheapnmdaustralia.com/ . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Adidas Nmd Sale Australia . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Adidas Shoes Australia . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- When Purdue wide receivers coach Gerad Parker was promoted to interim head coach on Oct. 16, replacing fired Darrell Hazell, Parker promised more energy and faster starts.True to his word, Parker has the Boilermakers (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) playing solid first halves heading into Saturdays home game against Northwestern (4-5, 3-3).Purdue led No. 21 Nebraska 14-10 at halftime, was tied with No. 12 Penn State 17-17 through 30 minutes and led Minnesota 28-23 after two quarters.But second halves have been nightmares under Parker, with the Cornhuskers (7-2), Nittany Lions (7-2) and Golden Gophers (7-2) outscoring the Boilermakers by a collective 83-10, each rallying to defeat Purdue.While turnovers have been a second-half issue, Parker says theres more to it than that. At minus 14 (23-9), the Boilermakers rank 126th among the 128 FBS teams in turnover margin.Some things are common, Parker said Tuesday in reference to Purdues second-half woes. The things you all see we see. No. 1 is turnovers. Also, your running game always is going to be a factor in the second half.Depth is going to be a factor in the second half. And I will never use this as an excuse, but these three most recent teams have only six combined losses. They are good football teams. Welcome to being a head coach. We also have not reacted well to sudden changes on defense.Sophomore quarterback David Blough, who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (304.1) and in total offense (303.7), shoulders part of the blame because he has been intercepted 13 times and opponents have recorded 18 sacks.Blough was intercepted on the second halfs first series in the 44-31 loss at Minnesota, setting up a Golden Gopher touchdown. He threw four first-half touchdown passses in Minneapolis, but the Boilermakers were outscored 21-3 during the final 30 minutes last Saturday.ddddddddddddThey were the same plays we made in the first half against the same coverages, Blough said. The turnover to start the third quarter was the same play DeAngelo Yancey took to the house in the first half. My throw was a little bit behind, and (the Minnesota defender) made a good play.I have to protect the ball when things go bad. Its frustrating. Minnesota gave us every single coverage in America in the second half, and they kept throwing wrenches in it. We have to battle and make our bad plays gains of 2 and 3 yards instead of minus 2 yards or turnovers.It does not help Blough that Purdue ranks 125th nationally in rushing offense (101.2 yards a game) and is 121st in rushing defense (248.3).The Boilermakers enter the Northwestern game 0-14 in November games since the 2012 season and are 3-27 in Big Ten competition beginning with the 2013 season.Game notes Parker said that when athletic director Mike Bobinski hires the next head coach, he hopes to remain on the staff. My family loves it here, and Ive loved working here, said Parker, who came to Purdue with Hazell for the 2013 season. All those are reasons to obviously want to move forward here if something happens. ... After missing three consecutive games with a concussion, standout DT Jake Replogle played the first half at Minnesota but did not play after halftime. Parker said Tuesday that while he hopes Replogle plays against Northwestern, the lineman remains day to day.---For more college football coverage: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '