the combination was a driving force in putting the Heat together.

NEW YORK -- The image of Beyonce and Jay-Z courtside on the giant US Open video screens drew the expected cheers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd Thursday night.From the competitors on court, there were two reactions.I looked up and was like, Oh s---, Beyonce is watching, 87th-ranked Vania King said.And from Serena Williams, who was the reason the superstar couple was there?Usually when people are there, I try to play better, especially if theyre famous and theyre doing so great at their job, she said. Its like I want to show them that Im good at my job, too -- minus today.As hard as it might be to read Williams changing moods on a tennis court, it is not difficult to distinguish between celebratory and chagrined.And despite her 6-3, 6-3 second-round victory over King, Williams was definitely not thrilled.I just think it should have been a different scoreline for me, Williams said. I feel like I made a lot of errors.A qualifier into the main draw, King fondly remembers Arthur Ashe Court as the place where she sang America the Beautiful before one of Andre Agassis final matches when she was a 17-year-old in 2006. That same year, she came through qualifying and reached the second round.It was a considerably different memory than the only other time she played Williams, taking only one game off the world No. 1 in the second round of the 2014 US Open.I was disappointed I lost [Thursday], but I was happy at least that I got to show a little bit of my game, King said. I felt like last time I played her, I got blown off the court and I was very, very nervous and wasnt able to impose any of my game because I was just overwhelmed by the situation.This time she was overwhelmed only by Williams serve.I felt like if I could get my racket on it, I was doing well, King said.Williams followed a 6-3, 6-3 first-round win over Ekaterina Makarova, rich with carefully placed serves and blazing groundstrokes, with a match Thursday night in which she hit 13 aces and won 83 percent of her first serves while registering a stunning 38-4 advantage in winners.Though Williams reported no residual soreness in the right shoulder that has severely limited her match play this year, averaging 107 mph on her first serves, she had 28 unforced errors to Kings 11.[The shoulder] is stable, Williams said. Ive just got to keep it like that. Its two matches in, and usually you want to be able to play seven matches. Its not even close to the halfway point. I definitely want to keep it as good as it can be.But the owner of the best serve in tennis knows whats most important to her if she is to surpass Steffi Graf for her 23rd career Grand Slam title.[The serve] was the best part of my game today, Williams said. So seeing thats what I did the least [well] coming into this tournament, its a really good sign [that I was] able to serve well and [Ill] hopefully gain momentum with that.With the win, Williams hit still another milestone on her list, tying Martina Navratilova for the most Grand Slam match victories in the Open era at 306.Sometimes I dont even know that Im hitting these milestones, Williams said. But some of them, Im really proud of. Like this ones kind of cool, to win 306. Thats really a cool milestone.Sister Venus Williams, who played earlier in the day on the covered Ashe Stadium court, defeating Julia Goerges 6-2, 6-3, made history of her own this week with a record 72nd Grand Slam main draw appearance.At 36, Venus goals are not unlike her sisters.Im grateful that I can still play the game I want to play right now, Venus said. As an athlete, as a tennis player, thats what you want. ... If you get to the point where you cant do that, thats where you need to start to think, OK, I need to move on.Im not at that point yet, and hopefully Ill be able to play the game I want to play right until the last day that Im done.For Serena, playing the game she wants generally accompanies winning tournaments. Even her opponents seem to expect nothing less.My coach asks me before each tournament, Who do you think is going to win the tournament? And Im like, Well, Im still in the tournament, King said with a laugh. But I always say Serena. I mean, who else can you say? And youre always surprised if she loses.No matter what shape shes in, what condition, shes the best player in the world. ... If my coach asked me [now], I would say Serena. Ive never not picked her. Harry Maguire England Jersey . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Raheem Sterling England Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Jesse-Lingard-England-Jersey/ . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Jordan Pickford England Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Nick Pope Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Chris Bosh released the third installment of his self-made documentary on Monday, the same day Miami Heat president Pat Riley felt the need for closure by declaring Boshs career with the team probably over.With that, the Heats Big Three era ended with an unfortunate whimper.The book on one of the most fascinating periods in NBA history is closed, with the end just as abrupt and surprising as the beginning. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh are all gone, and each of them harbors a level of animus toward the organization where they won two championships along their glamour-filled ride.And it left Bosh, in the midst of a health and existential crisis, nostalgic for the Heatles era.I look back on that time, and I would describe it as epic. And I thought it was going to keep going, Bosh said in his documentary, which carries a now-ironic title of Rebuilt.We had Bron, we had D [Wade]. I realize how special it was now. Back then, we ate together, we practiced together, we played together all the time. We dont have it any more, and Im tripping. It was just a few years ago -- not even a few -- two years ago, were playing for a championship. Everybodys gone.James left to go home to Ohio and tried to exit on good terms. But there have been enough passive-aggressive barbs tossed by James and Riley without mentioning each others names over the past two years to know that a peaceful breakup was probably impossible. That Bosh was using James digital media platform, Uninterrupted, to criticize the team in recent days is just another example of their own little war.Wade walked out on the Heat over the summer, the most popular player in franchise history growing frustrated by a series of contract disputes and perceived disrespect. Riley said Monday he had composed an email to Wade with all of his thoughts on the matter but hadnt yet pushed send. Bosh too had a communication breakdown with the franchise, as the sides ended up corresponding via podcasts, online videos and news releases.It was a far cry from the not five, not six, not seven days. The Heat burned bright, but they also burned fast. The circumstances surrounding the collapse of perhaps the most famous team in league history are complex. There are so many facets to what happened, there is no use trying to assign blame or start finger-pointing. It all just?reinforces?the frragility of the NBA.ddddddddddddRole players got old and retired. New salary-cap rules ravaged the teams options and led ownership to make hard decisions. James felt the call of home. Riley made some misreads. Bosh ran into a terrible and unforeseen medical issue.Between 2010-14, the Heat went on a historic organizational winning streak. From their stunning player acquisitions to their sponsorship deals to their promotions to the chic nightclub within the arena, Miami was very much the center of the basketball universe. The White Stripes Seven Nation Army blaring with fans all dressed in white, clapping in unison on the shores of Biscayne Bay, was the essence of cool. James MVPs and Ray Allens clutch 3-pointers were the essence of greatness.It was truly, as Bosh said, epic. And now its gone with a layer of bitterness floating on the surface.Riley did what he felt he had to do Monday, as the team was in a difficult corner as it tried to respect Boshs health struggle while also dealing with the medical and financial realities of the business of basketball. Riley is both eloquent and ruthless -- the combination was a driving force in putting the Heat together. And it played a part in driving it apart.It is time for the team to move on, the same conclusion James and Wade reached when they were presented with challenging choices. Perhaps they took some of these lessons from Riley, even if those pearls were unintended. Between Riley, James, Wade and Bosh, they have four of the most unique stories in the history of the league. This final chapter fits into a mighty story arc.At some point in the future, Wade, James and Bosh will be back together in Miami. Jerseys will be retired. Perhaps a statue or two will be erected, cheers will return, the White Stripes chords with shake the building again. The NBA is always changing. These events are just the latest reminder. Time heals all wounds, and there are wounds on all sides here. Shaquille ONeal coming back to get his jersey sent to the rafters in a few months is a reminder of that.Then everyone will reminisce about just how incredible and awesome the Big Three era was and muse about why it all had to end so soon.It was awesome. And it sure is over. ' ' '