terminate his contract, and McCaw was sanctioned

A win that proved he has reached a different dimension, a testament to his growth. Kei Nishikoris five-set victory over Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of this years US Open was one of the best of his career. Probably one of his biggest since reaching the final in New York in 2014.And it was impressive, coming over four hours and from two sets to one down. But was it, as Japanese tennis veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm suggested, a victory that proved the 26-year-old Nishikori has reached a different dimension? For many the jury is still out.Not that Nishikori has not been successful already. He has won 11 career titles, an Olympic bronze medal, reached the final of the US Open, made three Masters finals, and hit as high as No 4 in the world. But there has been a common theme that seems to have prevented any further progress: fatigue or injury.In the 2014 US Open final he was beaten in straight sets by Marin Cilic, saying afterwards that his body was heavy. After losing in the semi-finals in New York to Stan Wawrinka this year, he said: I was definitely tired, especially in the end. At Wimbledon he did not look fit from the outset against Cilic and eventually retired at 6-1 5-1 down. Nishikori beat Andy Murray at this years US Open There is no doubting Nishikoris talents, but his progression to the very top has been hampered by consistent injury issues. There is also a question of whether he can physically go the distance throughout the two weeks of a Grand Slam.In 2014, one of his coaches, Dante Bottini, said that part of Nishikoris problem with injuries was mental and he didnt really know how to deal with pain and injury.It was a clearly a priority for Nishikori and his team at the time.If I have one goal for next year that would be for Kei to go out there and play 95 percent of the year healthy, said Nishikoris coach Michael Chang in December 2014. To go through the year without having an injury or something happen that takes you out for two to three weeks at a time would be a huge accomplishment and that alone would take his tennis to the next level. Mark Petchey looks ahead to the ATP World Tour Finals Chang also said that he felt Nishikori had an opportunity to win a major on any surface.That challenge, though, has not materialised. While he has performed well at the US Open, he has never made it beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, has only made one quarter-final at Roland Garros and never progressed beyond the last eight in Melbourne.So what does Nishikori need to do to make the next step up?Perhaps his injuries have just been bad luck. Perhaps he need to lighten his load in 2017 and the years ahead. One aspect that could really help him win a Slam would be his serve Michael Chang I have been playing a lot of matches this year, he said last week. Maybe thats why I have been hurting these couple months, not feeling 100 percent yet.At the moment his body seems as though sometimes it is his toughest opponent.But because of his style of play that might not change. Nishikori does not have a huge serve - of the eight players in London he has the fewest aces in 2016 - and rather he excels with his court coverage and brilliant backhand.But grinding out so many points appears to be taking its toll on the world No 5.Chang admitted earlier this year that one aspect that could really help him win a Slam would be his serve. Michael Chang started working with Nishikori ahead of the 2014 season He added: Its improved a lot over the past couple of years but it still needs to get better and more consistent.Nishikori mixed it up at the US Open by serving and volleying, using the tactic to great effect against Murray in the quarter-finals.Sky Sports pundit Mark Petchey said: Hes definitely trying to protect his serve a bit better this year against obviously great returners.But will that be enough for Nishikori to consistently compete with the best?Ahead of the ATP World Tour finals, he acknowledged: I have to do a little better in the big tournaments, especially the Grand Slams and all the ATP World Tour Masters 1000s.Physically, I got much stronger the last couple of years. I try to work hard every day, try to be confident in every match and enjoy my tennis. Its good motivation.Is motivation enough to see the Japanese make the next step? That remains to be seen.Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Andy Murray - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis. Also See: Panel predictions Stan the danger man Murrays year in numbers Tour Finals at The O2 Matt Andriese Jersey . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Brad Miller Jersey . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. http://www.officialraysgearshop.com/Rays-Sergio-Romo-Kids-Jersey/ . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. Alex Cobb Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Dustin McGowan Jersey . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Liberty Universitys recent decision to hire former Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw is being met with ire from students and alumni.McCaw is coming off a tainted tenure at Baylor. According to a?Nov. 11 statement released by the school, McCaw and former Baylor football coach Art Briles failed to report an allegation of a 2012 sexual assault involving five football players to Baylors judicial affairs office.?On Nov. 2, Baylors former?Title IX coordinator said?McCaw asked her for immunity for football players when she started investigating allegations of sexual assault. (Briles has since sued Baylor officials for libel and slander.)McCaw is also named in a lawsuit filed by a former Baylor student who was raped by a football player who is now serving 20 years in prison for his crime, and an investigation by a Philadelphia law firm found that 17 women since 2011 reported incidents of sexual and domestic violence allegedly involving 19 football players, Baylor regents told The Wall Street Journal in late October. Four of the cases reportedly involved gang rapes.Prior to his resignation, McCaw presided over a football program that went to a bowl game every season from 2010 to 2015, the team winning three of the six.You look at what Baylor was able to do during [McCaws] tenure, it fits perfectly with where we see our sports programs going, Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr. said in a Nov. 28?statement.I cant think of an athletic director in the country who is more sensitized to the importance of complying with the intricacies of Title IX than Ian McCaw, Falwell said in a separate Nov. 29 statement.Many connected to Liberty dont share Falwells confidence. Almost two weeks after his hiring, alumni, students and athletes contacted by espnW remain concerned by McCaws past and their universitys decision to seemingly put athletics before the Christian values it holds so dear.Libertys mission statement emphasizes a commitment to the Christian life, one of personal integrity, sensitivity to the needs of others, social responsibility and active communication of the Christian faith.Liberty alumnus Nick Tarter, the pastor at CityLife Baptist Church in Bethany, Oklahoma, grew up on Big 12 football as an Oklahoma fan and closely followed the Baylor scandal. Seeing McCaw get another chance, let alone at his school, felt like a punch in the gut, he said.To me its not even a question of whether hes been implicated in the investigation at Baylor, Tarter said. He didnt stand up and stand in the way of those things as they were coming down the pipeline. There is a stain on everyone who was involved.Liberty, located in Lynchburg, Virginia, put out a blanket order that all requests for comment on McCaw be sent to spokesman Len Stevens. When asked for a comment from Falwell, Stevens provided espnW with his previously released statements. Libertys Title IX coordinator also didnt return interview requests, and McCaw declined an interview request via the athletics department.Multiple requests for comment sent to members of the board of trustees were also rebuffed. A secretary at the parish of trustee Dr. Allen McFarland said all members were told to direct comments to Stevens.No student contacted by espnW wanted to speak on the record about McCaw for fear of retaliation. But interviews and a confidential online survey with more than two dozen Liberty students showed that almost none support Falwells decision. Every student said bringing in McCaw hurt the universitys public image.More than a dozen alumni conntacted by espnW said they dont support McCaw, and three said they wont be contributing money to the university as long as McCaw is in charge of the athletics department.ddddddddddddOne Liberty student said the administration uses the following rationale to sell McCaw: Good Christians believe in repentance, and McCaw deserves a second chance. That stance is then twisted to frame any stand against McCaw and Falwell as an immoral act, the student said.Its manipulative -- its abusive, honestly -- and Im surprised by the number of students that have fallen into that mindset here as well, the student said.A former Liberty athlete said if she was still playing, shed seriously consider leaving the school because of the McCaw hire.Many student-athletes disagree with Jerrys decision to force [former athletic director] Jeff Barber to resign and hire Ian McCaw, but we are afraid to speak up because we fear we will lose our athletic scholarship and no longer be allowed to play our sport here, said another current Liberty athlete, who also asked to remain anonymous.Falwell has a history of retribution at Liberty. After Falwell offered public support for Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, Liberty board member Mark DeMoss criticized the move in a Washington Post article. DeMoss had been on the board of trustees for more than 25 years and was involved with the university for more than 40. He was classmates with Falwell during their time at Liberty. DeMoss was asked to resign from the executive board following his statement.Falwell also reportedly blocked the publishing of a column in Libertys student newspaper that condemned Trumps commentary on locker room talk.?McCaw left his post at Baylor four days after the university decided to make sweeping changes across the athletic department and its administration. In May -- less than a year after law firm Pepper Hamilton began its independent investigation of the university, in which it found widespread failures in the schools Title IX process and voiced concerns about the tone and culture within Baylors football program -- Ken Starr was removed from his position as Baylor president, Briles was suspended indefinitely with intent to terminate his contract, and McCaw was sanctioned and placed on probation.[McCaws] decision to resign was his own choice. It was in no way a forced resignation or firing by Baylor, Falwell said in the Nov. 29 statement. If he made any mistakes at Baylor, they appear to be technical and unintentional, out of line with an otherwise distinguished record.McCaw isnt the only ex-Baylor official at Liberty. Former Baylor Title IX investigator Ian McRary, who left that post in January, was named associate general counsel for Liberty in February.Upon hiring McCaw, Liberty cited Baylors 58 Big 12 conference titles during his tenure. Liberty football sold out its 19,200-seat stadium once this past season, didnt make the FCS playoffs and averaged a little less than 3,000 empty seats per home game.McCaw said the goal of FBS football is very much at the forefront for Liberty, a Big South program now under his direction.I went there because I do believe in the things theyre saying about character and preparing people to impact the world from a Christian worldview, said Tarter, who got his graduate degree in theology from Liberty. Do we care more now about trying to build a good football program? ' ' '