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MASON, Ohio -- John Isners absence from the ATP top 20 will be brief. The 6-foot-10 American made sure of that Saturday, rallying to beat seventh-seeded Juan Martin del Potro 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), 6-3 in a grueling Western & Southern Open semifinal. Isner, who fell from No. 20 to 22 this week, will return to the top 20 after a stimulating Cincinnati run that includes beating three straight top-10 players for the first time in his career while earning his second Masters 1000 series finals appearance and first in Cincinnati. His previous Masters 1000 final appearance was at Indian Wells in 2012. "Its awesome to be at this stage again," said Isner, who beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and No. 8 Richard Gasquet in the second round. "Ive been playing pretty well this season, but this tournament is where Ive really started to put it all together. Im playing pretty well in all facets of the game." Isner, in his first appearance in the tournaments semifinals, had been 0-4 against the Argentine. Hell play third-seeded Rafael Nadal, who beat sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 7-5, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal to reach the tournament final for the first time in nine appearances. "This is one tournament that Ive never been able to play well, so its something special to play well in a place I never did in the past," said Nadal, 3-0 in his career against Isner. "Im very happy for that. I am having the right feelings on court. Im playing aggressive, and the crowd here is great." Nadal extended his personal winning streak against the Czech to 14 matches while improving his overall season record 52-3, including 14-0 on hardcourts. After winning at Montreal last week, the Spaniard will be making back-to-back appearances in hardcourt finals for the first time in his career. Hes 15-1 against top-10 players this season. Top-ranked Serena Williams also will be making her first career appearance in the events championship match after ousting defending champion Li Na, 7-5, 7-5, in the first womens semifinal. Williams, seeking her ninth title of the year, advanced when Li double-faulted on match point. Williams improved to 60-3 this season. "I really would not have predicted myself being in the finals here at all, so its definitely pretty exciting for me," said Williams, who clinched the 2013 Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series womens title with the win and can earn a $1 million bonus if she wins the U.S. Open. "Really unexpected for me, too. I came in here not playing my best, and now Im in the final. Its just almost weird." Williams will play second-seeded Victoria Azarenka in Sundays final. Azarenka beat 14th-seeded Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a semifinal that featured 23 service breaks in 27 games. Isner needed 2 hours, 47 minutes to improve to 16-3 since retiring from Wimbledon in the second round because of a left knee injury. He finished off the win when del Potro sent a backhand from the baseline into the net. Despite tossing into a persistent swirling breeze and bright sunshine, both players served so effectively early that the first set included just one break point, fought off by the 22nd-ranked Isner. The 6-foot-6 Del Potro came up with a crucial mini-break on the 11th point of the tiebreaker when Isner sailed his backhand volley wide to lose the set. Del Potro broke Isner in the eighth game of the second set to put himself into position to serve for the match, but he double-faulted on match point and Isner came up with his own break to stay alive and eventually force a tiebreak that he won when del Potro sent a forehand wide to the deuce court. "I think I lost the match in the second set," del Potro said. "That was my chance to beat him. He was fighting all the time and deserved to win the third set, but I missed my chance." "I know, at that moment, that the sun on that side was pretty bad," said Isner, who can become the first American to win the tournament since Andy Roddick in 2006. "We both struggled with that for about 30 minutes." Despite the loss to Nadal, Berdych still will move up a notch in the rankings to a career-high fifth, passing Roger Federer. "That makes it probably even more special," Berdych said. Cheap Paul Molitor Jersey . The defeat leaves the 41-year-old Nestor to concentrate on the mixed-doubles event after winning 12 straight matches and winning Australian titles in Brisbane and Sydney with two different partners. "This was a little bit of a let down, but all credit to them," said Nestor. Cheap Blue Jays Jerseys Authentic . Tensions rose in the first period when Penguins defenceman Brooks Orpik hit Bruins forward Loui Eriksson with what appeared to be a clean hit. http://www.cheapbluejaysjerseys.com/ . Martin Reway and David Griger both recorded four points with a goal and three assists each. Mario Lunter, Daniel Gachulinec and Stanislav Horansky also scored for Slovakia (1-0). Dominik Kahun had both goals for Germany (0-2), who lost its opening match to Canada 7-2 on Thursday. Cheap Dave Winfield Jersey . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park. Cheap Roger Clemens Jersey . - Quarterback Brady Quinn says he has been released by the Miami Dolphins. ST. LOUIS -- Stars forward Rich Peverley remained hospitalized Tuesday in Dallas, undergoing heart tests after collapsing on the bench during a game that was postponed. His teammates? They are trying to deal with what they saw. After an eerily quiet flight and sleepless nights all around, the Stars were back on the ice for a morning skate in St. Louis, relieved that Peverleys irregular heart condition had stabilized but clearly shaken by an event that puts their playoff push in perspective. Even if the NHL hadnt postponed the game Monday night in Dallas with the Blue Jackets leading 1-0 early in the first period, linemate Tyler Seguin was done for the night. Hed come off the ice just ahead of Peverley and was right there when Peverley lost consciousness during what the team called a "cardiac event." "I went in the room and took my stuff off right away," Seguin said, his voice catching a bit. "I was right beside him when it was all happening." Forward Vernon Fiddler was with Nashville when the Red Wings Jiri Fischer collapsed on the Detroit bench in 2005, also from a heart problem. "You dont expect that ever to happen," Fiddler said. "Ive been unfortunate to be part of both of those." Fiddler was among four Stars players made available after the morning skate, a veteran hoping to help the kids cope. "Its pretty emotional when you see your teammate collapse like that," Fiddler said. "We have some young guys on the team and its a lot more difficult for them because they havent been through things the older guys have been through. Youve got to help them through that." For one Stars teammate, Alex Chiasson, it was too much. The team said he had joined Peverley in a Dallas hospital for observation because he was so distraught. "Yeah, yeah, he wasnt doing good," coach Lindy Ruff said. "A lot of anxiety associated with what happened last night." The Blues also had emotions to sort out. Coach Ken Hitchcock was watching on TV and remembered "the silence was deafening." Hitchcock rewound his DVR and then froze the screen trying to detect who was in peril on the Stars bench, then waited nervously for an update. "Lindy saying hes OK, hes asking about Can he play? again, I think calmed everybody down," Hitchcock said. "But there was no way you could play the game. The look on the players faces on both sides, there was no way you could play the game." Blues forward Brenden Morrow has vivid memories of Buffalos Richard Zednik getting his throat slashed by the skate of a tumbling teammate in 2008. Morrow roomed with Zednik in juniors and the two were close friends. &qquot;Those are scary things," Morrow said.dddddddddddd "I dont even know where to begin with what theyre thinking in that locker room." The 31-year-old Peverley, who averaged 16 minutes of ice time in all six games of the Stanley Cup last season with Boston, was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in training camp and underwent a procedure that sidelined him through the first regular season game. He had played in 60 consecutive games before sitting out at Columbus last week due to effects of his heart condition, but Mondays game was his third straight since then. "Hes always taken the precautions, hes a very focused, organized guy, you can say," said Seguin, who won a Stanley Cup with Peverley in Boston. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people." A doctor who specializes in the study of athletes and heart conditions questioned whether Peverley should have been playing, while taking care not to criticize those handling his medical needs. "Its a symptomatic athlete," said Dr. Barry Maron of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. "Thats the key. A symptomatic athlete with known heart disease whos out there. That would not seem to be optimal." Ruff said there were no previous concerns about Peverley and praised team doctors for doing "a fabulous job monitoring the situation." Before the morning skate, Ruff emphasized the positive medical report. "Hes doing good, hes stable and hes in good spirits," he said. "A few guys whove interacted say hes got his sense of humour back already." General manager Jim Nill said Peverley was undergoing tests to find the "cause of the event and a long-term solution." The condition places Peverelys career in jeopardy and its likely he wont be back this season. Ruff, asked whether there was a prognosis for Peverleys return, replied: "No, no, nothing." This adds poignancy to Peverleys request, upon being revived, to get back out there. Every NHL season is filled with tales of players heading to the dressing room for repairs, getting stitched up, then rejoining the action seemingly no worse for wear. "Athletes in general, hockey players in general are kind of weird that way," Stars wing Ray Whitney said. "Youll play through injuries. Im not sure about playing through a heart injury. Thats a little bit aggressive in my opinion, but thats Rich." The Stars recalled forward Colton Sceviour and Chris Mueller from their Texas AHL affiliate and Ruff said both would be in the lineup against the Blues. "Were still in a big playoff race," centre Jamie Benn said. "I guess well be playing for Rich tonight." ' ' '