Angelique Kerber was sweaty. She had just beaten Johanna Konta in the semifinals of the Australian Open to book a trip to her first major final. Her on-court interview had finished about 30 seconds earlier. Adrenaline pumping, she popped out into a quiet hallway at Rod Laver Arena.I had just finished my assignment for ESPN and was wandering back to the ESPN compound that hot Thursday Melbourne afternoon. I had just watched Kerber, 28 years old and playing in her 33rd Grand Slam tournament, pull off a crisp, clean match that included just 11 unforced errors to 14 winners.Kerber had won seven career titles at that point and more than $9 million. She had been ranked in the top 10 for years. She had been to the US Open semifinals in 2011 and the Wimbledon semifinals in 2012. But this -- this 2016 Australian Open moment -- was by far the biggest of her career.Well congratulations! I said.But she wanted more.I cant find anyone from my team, she said (and I swear I could see the excitement and thrill dripping off of her). Ive just gotten to my first major final, and I have nobody to hug.You can hug me if you want,?I said.And she did.Two days later, Kerber went on to beat Serena Williams -- the same Serena Williams who four months earlier was two wins away from a calendar Grand Slam and was holding all four major titles -- in the final to win her first major title.And Kerbers year just kept getting better from there. In addition to winning the Aussie, she was runner-up (to Serena) at Wimbledon, won the title in her home country at Stuttgart, took silver (to Monica Puig) at the Olympics, took out Petra Kvitova, Roberta Vinci, Caroline Wozniacki and Karolina Pliskova to win the US Open. She started 2016 ranked No. 10 in the world and finished ranked No. 1.For so many years in womens tennis, we had been looking for that person, who, like Serena, could follow up a great result at a Grand Slam. That player who could make a run to the semis or the final and then back it up. Nobody had been able to do it. But Kerber was able to break that pattern. She backed it up beautifully. From start to finish -- from the Australian Open to the WTA Finals in Singapore, where she lost in the final -- she was the best player in 2016.I think a lot of her success can be traced to the offseason -- exactly this time last year. She stepped up her physical strength, her conditioning, her footwork. She became more professional in all the little details.But she also worked really hard on the emotional side. That was always the big question mark around Kerber over the years: Could she remain emotionally competent week in, week out, match in, match out. A lot of the time I sit courtside during matches, and I would see her get negative ... the way she would look up at her coach, Torben Beltz, the way she would get testy when the tide of a match would start to turn. In 2016, she had her best attitude -- her most consistent, professional attitude.She was just really grounded, really professional, really consistent, really good.Ive been thinking over the past few days about what we can expect from Kerber in 2017. And I dont see her going away. She passed so many tests in 2016, and she is such a veteran. She turns 29 next month, and shes been a top-10 player for years. I think we can look forward to more from Kerber. Another major? I dont see why not. Another No. 1 at the end of the year? I wouldnt put that past her, either.More on Angelique Kerber? Kerber and the power of positivity?Story ?? The spectacular renaissance of Angelique Kerber?Story ?? 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Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Fake Yeezy 700 Teal Blue . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Current England internationals Teimana Harrison and Paul Hill have signed new contracts with Aviva Premiership club Northampton.The Saints have announced new deals for six players, with the list completed by former England flanker Tom Wood, his back-row colleagues Jamie Gibson and Ben Nutley, plus prop Adam Parkins.Wood, who will skipper Northampton next season, joined the club six years ago and was a member of Englands 2015 World Cup squad. Unlike Harrison and Hill, though, he has not featured for his country since Australian Eddie Jones became head coach.Harrison, 23, and 21-year-old Hill both made their Test debuts this year and were members of the England squad that toured Australia last month, claiming a 3-0 Test series triumph against the Wallabies. Gibson, meanwhile, joined Saints from their Premiership rivals Leicester a year ago, and Northampton academy product Nutley has made more than 60 first-team appearances at Franklins Gardens, with Parkins among a group of promising front-row prospects in Saints ranks.We are delighted that all six players have signed new contracts to stay at Franklins Gardens, Northampton rugby director Jiim Mallinder said.dddddddddddd Weve seen them all develop massively in their time at the club, and to have these deals agreed well before the start of the 2016-17 season means that we can plan with certainty for the future.Northampton have also delivered upbeat fitness bulletins on a number of players, including Wood, who suffered injuries towards the end of last season or during recent summer tours.Saints say that Wood (neck), England forward Courtney Lawes (ankle), Ethan Waller (toe) and Tom Stephenson (foot) should all be fit for the start of the new Premiership season after undergoing surgery.And wing George North is also on course to make the Premiership opener against Bath in early September. He suffered a hamstring injury during Wales New Zealand tour last month.But wing Jamie Elliott will miss the seasons opening few weeks following shoulder surgery, and centre Rory Hutchinson is continuing his recovery after suffering a serious ankle injury during Scotlands Under-20 World Championship campaign in June. ' ' '