Sharon Fichmans first memory of the French Open was watching Jennifer Capriati knock off Kim Clijsters to win the 2001 title. [u

Sharon Fichmans first memory of the French Open was watching Jennifer Capriati knock off Kim Clijsters to win the 2001 title. Utah Jazz Jerseys . Fichman was 10 years old at the time. She printed out a photo of a smiling Capriati holding the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen winners trophy. She then cut out a photo of her own face and pasted it over Capriatis. "That was really funny," Fichman said from Paris on Friday. It was also the beginning of her love affair with Roland Garros that will reach new heights next week when the 23-year-old from Toronto plays in the tournaments main draw -- the first time shes earned a direct entry into a Grand Slam main draw in her career. "I knew after that (Capriati victory) that I wanted to win the French Open, that was the Grand Slam when I was that age, that I really wanted to win," Fichman said on a conference call. "Ever since then, when Ive played (here) as a junior and now as a pro, I just feel more comfortable every single year. I love it here, I love Paris, I love the tournament. I really enjoy going out and competing and playing good tennis and getting better, and winning matches. Just really good memories every time Im here." Fichman, ranked a career-high 77th, faces a tough first-round opponent in sixth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic. Fichman is one of four Canadians who earned direct entry. Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., seeded No. 18, will open against Shahar Peer of Israel. On the mens side, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., will open against Australian wildcard Nick Krygios, and Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver takes on No. 60 Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia. "Its very cool for me, . . . that this is going to be the first time Ive been in the Grand Slam main draw playing here as a professional," Fichman said. "I worked really hard so Im just happy that the hard work is paying off." Fichman will also play doubles with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the Russian she partnered with to win the junior doubles title at the French Open in 2006. "Its going to be fun, hopefully we can make another good memory," she said. Fichman, who finished 2013 ranked 106th, is enjoying easily the best season of her career. She defeated Peer in the first round at Indian Wells, Calif., in March, before being eliminated by world No. 10 Sara Errani in the second round. She reached her first singles final of the season earlier this month at the $100,000 International Tennis Federation event in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Her victory over Switzerlands Timea Bacsinszky in the final was the biggest of her career. Fichman credits her switch to coach Larry Jurovich in the summer of 2012 -- and all the changes in her game and in training that came with it -- for her improvement. "I think its a lot of things," she said. "I think mentally Ive changed, Ive definitely gotten stronger. Physically Ive changed. . . and also my game has changed. Were working on different things than Im used to. Its coming close to two years now (with Jurovich) and before that I was focusing on different things. "So honestly I think its a bit of everything. But the most important thing is I really believe in what Im doing, and I believe in myself, so I think thats helping the most out of everything." Fichman knows what shes up against with Jankovic. The Serbian star defeated the Canadian 6-4, 7-6 in the second round of last summers Rogers Cup. "I have a lot of respect for her, shes an accomplished player," she said "It was a close match (at the Rogers Cup), and I know I had some chances, especially in the second set. Its going to be a tough opponent but I also think that Im playing well and I know that I did well last time, so Im just going to focus on my game and I think if I continue to fight and I execute what were working on, I have just as good a chance as any." Bouchard, meanwhile, faces Peer for the fourth time in her career -- Bouchard has won all three previous meetings. At last years French Open, the 20-year-old was defeated by Maria Sharapova in the second round. Raonic faces a rising star in Krygios. The 19-year-old Aussie was crowned champion of the International Junior Tennis Open in Repentigny, Que., in 2012. Raonic is having a strong clay court season, highlighted by a semifinal appearance at the Rome Masters last week. Hell be looking to improve on his third-round showing in Paris last year where he fell to Kevin Anderson of South Africa. Karl Malone Jersey . The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett. As expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to start Sundays game and optioned backup catcher J. Rudy Gobert Jazz Jersey . (January 11, 2014) – Once again Kevin Martin proved why he is the all-time TSN skins leader, winning $11,500 in prize money and a spot in the Travelers All-Star Curling Skins Game presented by Pintys final following a semifinal victory over Brad Jacobs earlier this evening at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in Banff, Alta. http://www.jazzauthentic.com/kids-dante-exum-jazz-jersey/ .S. President Barack Obama saluted the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks at the White House on Monday -- a rare moment for a president hungry to see more victorious teams from his hometown.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Texas Rangers try to put an end to a three-game slide Saturday as they clash with the Toronto Blue Jays in the second of a three-game set at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Drew Hutchison went the distance for the Jays, walking one and fanning six as he picked up his second win of the campaign. "He was tremendous," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of his starting pitcher. "He went toe to toe with [Darvish], matched him, and ended up getting the win. It was a battle on both sides. Both guys were really good." Now batting .320 on the season, Melky Cabrera knocked in both runs for the visitors and drew a pair of walks, helping to offset the performances of Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie at the plate as they each struck out three times for a squad that is sitting in third place in the AL East, trailing both Baltimore and the Yankees entering play on Saturday. The shutout was the seventh of the season for the Toronto staff, second-most in the American League behind only Texas which has notched nine in just 42 contests. The first seven-game winner in the majors heads back to the mound this evening as Mark Buehrle takes the ball for the visiting Jays. Outside of an 8-1 loss to Boston late last month, Buehrle has been virtually untouchable with his 2.04 ERA over the course of 53 innings. The left-hander is currently riding a three-game win streak, thanks to a victory against the LA Angels earlier this week. Buehrle lasted a total of six innings, giving up two runs on six hits and an uncharacteristic five walks, but still came out on the right side of the 7-3 decision. Now in his 115th major league campaign, Buehrle has a career mark of 13-5 and a 3. Tony Bradley Jersey. 14 ERA in 22 total games versus Texas. Now six games off the pace in the American League West where they are fourth in the division standings, the Rangers were shut out for the second time in the last three outings on Friday night in the series opener, 2-0, marking the clubs fifth loss in six tries. Texas managed a mere three hits last night, one each by Adrian Beltre, Leonys Martin and Rougned Odor, wasting another strong outing by hurler Yu Darvish who allowed just two runs on five hits and struck out 11 over eight innings of work. "Offensively were capable of doing a lot of damage," noted Texas outfielder Alex Rios after the outing. "Were not there yet. Were all still positive and believe we can do damage. But its a little frustrating when were not seeing the real power of our offense." As for the Rangers, theyll hand the ball to Robbie Ross Jr. Also a left- hander, Ross has been saddled with four defeats in his last five outings, the most recent of those coming against Boston at home on Sunday. For the third time in a row Ross was tagged for at least five runs, based on six hits and a couple of walks through 6 2/3 innings. Just three seasons into his major league career, Ross has yet to register a decision versus Toronto, even though this will be his sixth appearance against the club all-time. Toronto, which captured six wins in seven meetings last season versus the Rangers, is tops in the AL in home runs at the moment with 56 through 43 games, while Texas is second from the bottom with just 26. ' ' '