thereabouts, Hewitt said.He doesnt have that many points to defend f

NEW YORK -- Top-seeded Novak Djokovic spent a short day in the office at the US Open on Friday, lashing forehands and feathering drop shots for only 31 minutes before Mikhail Youzhny threw in the towel with a hamstring pull while trailing 4-2 in the first set.It was still a longer workday than Djokovic experienced Wednesday, when he never punched in at the National Tennis Center at all. Jiri Vesely, his second-round opponent, issued a walkover because of a sore arm.Kyle Edmund, Djokovics next opponent, might be hiding under the bed in his hotel room right now, worried about what fate might have in store before he meets Djokovic on Sunday.Coming into this tournament, Djokovic was the one worrying about injuries. A tender right arm and a sore left wrist that flared up out of nowhere during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro were of great concern. Suddenly, his lack of match play since a first-round singles loss in the Olympics to Juan Martin del Potro is a potential issue.Has the extra time off been a curse or a blessing?Considering the stage of the season, the amount of matches Ive played, what Ive been through with my body, I think its actually good to have some days off, and then shorter matches, Djokovic said Friday.But in the same breath, the Serbian star added, From the other side, sure, as you are approaching second week of the Grand Slam you want to have match play and you want to have time spent on the center court before you face one of the top players.Djokovic is a master of equivocation, but he doesnt hesitate to say this is the first time he has dealt with an interlude of this kind at a Grand Slam event. He has had at least one walkover before; Fabio Fognini pulled out before their quarterfinal at the 2011 French Open. And at the Rome Masters in 2008 he advanced thanks to back-to-back retirements early in his quarterfinal and semifinal. Nicolas Almagro and Radek Stepanek lasted a set each on that occasion.Here in New York, Djokovic will have played only six games in five days when he takes the court Sunday. Hes the first man in the Open era to win three matches by playing only four complete sets.Djokovic didnt exactly complain about his light workload, but Friday he did ask if he might be allowed to remain on Arthur Ashe Stadium court for an unscheduled 45-minute practice session. His wish granted, Djokovic eagerly shed his dressy black-and-white attire and slipped into a gym rats gray T-shirt.Co-coaches Boris Becker and Marian Vajda fed him balls as Djokovic worked on his serve with a practice partner. He missed many serves and frequently grabbed the back of his neck with his left hand and appeared to twist his head, as if trying to work out a kink. But he dropped that gesture once he began to play points and showed no signs of being impaired. He said he was pleased with the progress he has made with his fitness.The arm is doing very well, he said. Everything is going in the right direction. I feel significantly better now than I have just at the beginning of the tournament.Djokovic might be rounding into form in a nick of time. Andy Murray, the No. 2 seed, has shown no sign of taking his foot off the gas after his triumph at Wimbledon and gold-medal performance in Rio. Once a reliably unreliable player despite his undisputed place among the elites, Murray is playing with an uncharacteristic degree of consistency. He might be on a career-shaping run, a version of Djokovics glorious run in 2011.Rafael Nadal, seeded No. 4, is as much of a sleeper here as a man of his stature can be; people are talking about him without really talking about him. His confidence is growing by the day, and theres scant evidence of the anxiety that hounded him during his prolonged slump.Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, is everyones darling because of all he has been through with his injuries. Hes just crushing the ball. Delpo can hurt Djokovic, as he has done four times in 15 matches and twice in the Olympics (before Rio, del Potro defeated Djokovic in the 2012 bronze-medal match in London).Thats just for starters. No. 3 Stan Wawrinka, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kei Nishikori and Gael Monfils are all dangerous veterans and playing well.Djokovic appeared to have the tour in a stranglehold as little as two months ago, as Wimbledon unfolded. His grip has been loosened considerably, and people have been reminding him of it. He said he doesnt really mind.There were stages in my career where I was very much into it, following who says what, Djokovic said, referring to all the speculation about whether hes slipping. That affected my mind. Not anymore.Djokovic said hes more self-reliant now. Hes less influenced by the opinions and theories of others. I know what are my capabilities and I know what I am able to do, what Im able to achieve. If I play the right tennis, I can win against anybody in any surface.All he needs now is the chance to go out and advance in the tournament by actually playing matches. Custom New York Rangers Jerseys . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Henrik Lundqvist Rangers Jersey . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/brady-skjei-hockey-jersey/ .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Brady Skjei Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Mike Gartner Rangers Jersey . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. For the first time since Week 4 of the 2008 season, the Cowboys have ascended to No. 1 in ESPNs NFL Power Rankings. ESPNs power panel (a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities) moved Dallas up this week from No. 2 after the team won its eighth straight game.The top eight teams shifted all around from last weeks rankings, including the Chiefs moving up to No. 5 and the Eagles jumping 10 spots to move back into the top 10.Methodology note: These rankings reflect which teams voters think would win head-to-head matchups. Higher-ranked teams would be favored against lower-ranked teams. Coming off a win doesnt guarantee a jump, and coming off a loss doesnt guarantee a fall.Check out the rest of the league and where each team ranks.Previous rankings: Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | PreseasonESPN Stats & Information contributed the following research.1. Dallas Cowboys2016 record: 8-1 | Week 10 ranking: 2The Cowboys have won eight straight in a single season for the first time since 1977. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Ezekiel Elliott has the third-most rushing yards through a players first nine games with 1,005. And QB Dak Prescott is second in the league this season in Total QBR (82.5). Up next: the Ravens.2. Seattle Seahawks2016 record: 6-2-1 | Week 10 ranking: 4The Seahawks are 4-1-1 in their past six games, and most impressive about that stretch is the fact theyve committed only one turnover. They had none against the Patriots in Week 10 and will look to keep that trend rolling against the Eagles in Week 11.3. New England Patriots2016 record: 7-2 | Week 10 ranking: 1Even after the Week 10 loss to Seattle, NFL FPI has the Patriots as the top-ranked team by a wide margin and still gives the Patriots a 31 percent chance of winning the Super Bowl this season (next closest: Cowboys, 17 percent). New England travels to San Francisco to take on the 49ers (1-8) this week.4. Denver Broncos2016 record: 7-3 | Week 10 ranking: 7Denver kept pace in the AFC West thanks to a blocked extra point attempt that was returned for a touchdown. The Broncos are still winning (three of their past four), but turnovers are starting to become a problem and could be a focus during their Week 11 bye. Denver has had at least two turnovers in each of its past three games.5. Kansas City Chiefs2016 record: 7-2 | Week 10 ranking: 6The Chiefs are now 17-2 in their past 19 games dating back to last season, with 15 giveaways to 45 takeaways over that span. The next best turnover differential in that time is plus-14 by the Vikings. The Chiefs take on the turnover-prone Buccaneers in Week 11.6. Oakland Raiders2016 record: 7-2 | Week 10 ranking: 3Derek Carr makes his Monday night debut this week against the Texans in Mexico City. Carr is 3-0 in his career in prime time, and with the Chiefs and Broncos still looming in the division race, another prime-time win would go a long way in getting the Raiders home-field advantage in the playoffs.7. Atlanta Falcons2016 record: 6-4 | Week 10 ranking: 5Opponents are completing 68.2 percent of their passes against the Falcons this season, the third-highest completion percentage allowed. Thats also the same as QB Matt Ryans completion percentage this season. Atlanta will undoubtedly work on its pass defense while on bye this week.8. Philadelphia Eagles2016 record: 5-4 | Week 10 ranking: 18The Eagles have a 41 percent chance of making the playoffs according to NFL FPI, but they also have the second-most difficult remaining schedule based on opponent win-loss records. A road game against Seattle this week is as tough as they get.9. Pittsburgh Steelers2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 9The Steelers could use a win following their first four-game losing streak since 2013, and they may very well get one this week at Cleveland. Quarterback?Ben Roethlisberger is 19-2 in his career against the Browns, who are 0-10 this season.10. Arizona Cardinals2016 record: 4-4-1 | Week 10 ranking: 16The Cardinals are 3-1-1 in their past five games, but two of those wins came against the 49ers, a team with just one win. The Cardinals schedule picks up down the stretch, with five road games and all seven games against teams no worse than one game under .500. First up are the Vikings in Week 11.11. Washington Redskins2016 record: 5-3-1 | Week 10 ranking: 13Is there a more under-the-radar team right now than the Redskins? On one hand, they have only a plus-3 point differential, but on the other hand, theyre 4-0 against teams that entered their game with a winning record. Washington hosts the 4-5 Packers on Sunday night.12. Detroit Lions2016 record: 5-4 | Week 10 ranking: 14The Lions are 5-4, have a minus-one point differential and have trailed in the fourth quarter in all nine games this season. The Lions are living on the edge but have a chance to break away from both the Jaguars and the NFC North in Week 11.13. Baltimore Ravens2016 record: 5-4 | Week 10 ranking: 15The AFC North is not at its strongest right now, and the Ravens are taking advantage. Baltimore is currently 3-0 against the AFC North and 2-4 against every other division, losing the past four. They not only play a team outside their division this week, they play the team with the leagues best record (8-1 Cowboys).14. Houston Texans2016 record: 6-3 | Week 10 ranking: 19The Texans finally won a road game -- albeit against the Jaguars. The Texans scored 24 points after scoring a combined 22 in their first three road games. Theyll need to continue that mojo, as three of their next four are on the road.15. Minnesota Vikings2016 record: 5-4 | Week 10 ranking: 10QB Sam Bradfords average pass has traveled 6.4 yards past the line of scrimmage this season, which ranks as the shortest in the NFL. That average is fine when your team is winning, but when youve lost four straight, you need a little more from the passing game.ddddddddddddThe Cardinals are up next.16. New York Giants2016 record: 6-3 | Week 10 ranking: 12The Giants rushed for a season-high 122 yards Monday night against Cincinnati, rediscovering a dormant aspect of their offense. The Giants entered the game with an NFL-worst 68.3 rushing yards per game. Theyll try to keep the ground game going in Week 11 against the visiting Bears.17. Miami Dolphins2016 record: 5-4 | Week 10 ranking: 25The Dolphins have won four straight behind Jay Ajayis strong rushing but also behind Ryan Tannehills improved play. Tannehill has thrown no picks during the four-game winning streak and has taken three sacks total, allowing Ajayi the chance to run. The Dolphins look to make it five straight at Los Angeles in Week 11.18. Cincinnati Bengals2016 record: 3-5-1 | Week 10 ranking: 8In fairness to the Bengals, theyve lost to the Steelers, Broncos, Cowboys, Patriots and Giants, who are a combined 32-14 this season. But at 3-5-1 overall, their playoff hopes are looking slim. The Bengals face a must-win at home against the Bills in Week 11.19. Tennessee Titans2016 record: 5-5 | Week 10 ranking: 23QB Marcus Mariota has an 85 Total QBR and 14 touchdowns to two interceptions in the Titans five wins this season (41 QBR, seven TDs, six INTs in losses). Mariota takes on the Colts on Sunday, a team he has yet to beat in his career.20. New Orleans Saints2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 20Twice this season the Saints have lost on a two-point conversion. Those will sting badly no matter what, but when the Saints are 4-5 and the division leader is 6-4, there are going to be a lot of what-ifs. FPI currently gives the Saints a 24 percent chance of making the playoffs as they travel to Carolina for a Week 11 Thursday night game.21. Buffalo Bills2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 21The Bills are on a three-game losing streak despite scoring exactly 25 points in each game. Thats tied for the longest losing streak in NFL history in which the losing team scored at least 25 points in each of those games, according to Elias. The Bills defense will look to hold down Cincinnati this week.22. Green Bay Packers2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 11The Packers have allowed a combined 35 points in the first quarter alone the past two weeks and have trailed by at least 18 at some point in each game. The Packers are under .500 through nine games for the first time since 2008. Theyll face Washington this week.23. San Diego Chargers2016 record: 4-6 | Week 10 ranking: 17The Chargers have been outscored by 44 points in the fourth quarter this season, second worst in the NFL. Theyve outscored opponents by 61 in the first three quarters, fourth best in the NFL. Their bye couldnt come at a better time than Week 11.24. Carolina Panthers2016 record: 3-6 | Week 10 ranking: 24Cam Newton has been blitzed on 44 percent of dropbacks this season, and hes posting a career-low 55 Total QBR against the blitz. That trend is unlikely to stop this Thursday as the visiting Saints are blitzing at the highest rate this season.25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 28QB Jameis Winston became the youngest player to reach 40 passing touchdowns Sunday, thanks to his fourth straight game with multiple passing touchdowns. Can Winston keep it up against the stout Chiefs defense in Week 11?26. Los Angeles Rams2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 27The Rams won in Week 10 despite scoring nine points and no TDs among those points. In fact, the Rams are 2-1 this season when scoring fewer than 10, with the rest of the NFL going 0-13-2 in such games. The Dolphins await the Rams and whichever QB starts this week.27. Indianapolis Colts2016 record: 4-5 | Week 10 ranking: 22This will be a crucial stretch for the Colts as they take on the Titans and Steelers at home the next two weeks. The Colts are looking to win two in a row under QB Andrew Luck for the first time since 2014, believe it or not.28. New York Jets2016 record: 3-7 | Week 10 ranking: 26The Jets head into their bye with a 3-7 record, worst in the AFC East, and a 0.1 percent chance of making the playoffs according to NFL FPI. QB Bryce Petty should keep getting a chance to show what he has, but hell need to do better than the 5.1 yards per attempt he posted against the Rams.29. Chicago Bears2016 record: 2-7 | Week 10 ranking: 29It was just a matter of time before that Jay Cutler showed up again. Cutler doubled his turnover total this season with three in Week 10, and he also took a safety. Cutler and the Bears, who will be without receiver Alshon Jeffery, play at the Giants this week.30. Jacksonville Jaguars2016 record: 2-7 | Week 10 ranking: 31Four straight losses have the Jaguars down to 2-7, and with two straight road games at Detroit and Buffalo and then home games against the Broncos and Vikings, there could be trouble brewing for coach Gus Bradley & Co. This is the Jags third losing streak of four games or longer in the past two seasons.31. San Francisco 49ers2016 record: 1-8 | Week 10 ranking: 30Colin Kaepernick used his legs to keep the 49ers in Sundays loss at Arizona, but his second-half performances pile on to the teams struggles. Kaepernick has completed 38.4 percent of his second-half passes this season, as opposed to 71.2 percent in the first half. Hell need a complete game to beat the Patriots this week.32. Cleveland Browns2016 record: 0-10 | Week 10 ranking: 32The Browns are now 0-10 and host the Steelers this week. If the Browns lose again, theyll fall to 0-11 for the first time in franchise history and the first time leaguewide since the 2011 Colts. ' ' '