We wanted to make sure we affected the game,"

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MELBOURNE, Australia -- Montreals Eugenie Bouchard has been preparing for the Australian Open semifinal her entire life. Bouchard became the first Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi in three decades with her 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 quarter-final win over former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic on Monday. She faces Chinas Li Na on Thursday in the Australian Opens final four. "This is something Ive been doing since I was five years old and working my whole life for and sacrificing a lot of things for," said Bouchard. "So its not exactly a surprise. I always expect myself to do well. Im just happy to have gone through this step. Im not done. I have a match on Thursday. Im just looking forward to that." The semifinal pairing of the 19-year-old Bouchard versus the 31-year-old Li, who won the 2011 French Open, has captured the attention of tennis fans around the world. Li has played two of the last three finals at Melbourne Park. That kind of WTA rep does not bother the confident Bouchard, whose ad-hoc Genie Army of a dozen or so Aussie fans will surely be out in full force for the showcase event. "Lis a great champion, shes won a Slam, as well, its going to be really tough," said Bouchard, playing in the main draw of a major for only the fourth time. "I played her once in Montreal two years ago. We had a close match, one of my first bigger matches. "It will be interesting to play her. I know shes very solid, very good from the back. Its going to be hard, but Im looking forward to it." Beside her tennis, its Bouchards bubbly personality that has captured fan fancy, with commentators already labelling her the next breakout womens star. The Canadian extrovert, who confesses to possessing a Type A, get-it-done personality -- especially on the court -- is dealing with the expectations well. "Im a really focused person, really driven. Off the court Im almost impatient in a way," said Bouchard. "On the court Im the same way. I really just want to play my game, be aggressive, take it to my opponent, and not just wait around and wait for opportunities. "I think its a good thing to take my chances when Im on the court." Bouchards not intimidated by the big stage of a Grand Slam tournament, either. "The matches I had last year on the big courts, like (Maria) Sharapova at the French Open, Ivanovic at Wimbledon, just being on those big stages gave me a lot of experience," she said. "Now walking out on centre court in Australia, I feel like Ive been here before. Ive been able to perform on big stages as well. It gives me that extra confidence." While she wont make any predictions about her match with Li, Bouchard is fairly certain that her supporters will be tossing another stuffed Aussie animal onto the court after the match, bringing her tournament total to five. The bulky mementos have a special place in her heart, with Bouchard bringing each new one to post-match media availability and sitting it proudly next to the microphone. Getting the growing menagerie back to Quebec should not be a problem for the resourceful Bouchard. "I have a koala, and kangaroo, a kookaburra, and a wombat," she said. "I will create luggage space. Its worth it to take my wombat home." EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Everyone knows how cozy the Seahawks are in Seattle. They found another place that feels like home, and its a pretty good choice considering what the Meadowlands will host in February. Seattle manhandled the New York Giants 23-0 Sunday for its sixth road win, holding the hosts to 181 yards. This is the best Seahawks road team in their history at 6-2; they are 6-0 at home. Should they return to New Jersey this season, it would be for the Super Bowl. "I do think thats advantageous to us," star cornerback Richard Sherman said after grabbing two of a career-worst five interceptions thrown by Eli Manning. "Anytime you are comfortable with a stadium and seen a locker room and the time zone change and the weather, it helps. You get in a routine, get a rapport with the place youre at." The Seahawks have quite a chance to be at MetLife Stadium again if they continue to perform the way they did against the overmatched Giants (5-9). "Just being human, you know about it," coach Pete Carroll said of the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather city. "Its not important now. When the time comes, if we put ourselves in position to do that ..." Marshawn Lynch scored on a twisting, triple-effort 2-yard run, Steven Hauschka kicked three field goals and Russell Wilson toyed with New Yorks defence. The second-year quarterback ran for 50 yards, threw for 206 and a touchdown before sitting out the last few minutes. Wilson has 23 wins, the most for a quarterback in his first two seasons in the Super Bowl era. "It does matter," Wilson said of the 23 victories. "Winning a lot of games is really important. Its what we come to do every day, to have a championship day, have a championship year." The Seahawks (12-2) are already in the playoffs and are closing in on the NFC West title and their best overall record; they went 13-3 in 2005 before losing to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. New York (5-9) will be deep into its off-season by the Super Bowl with its first losing record since 2004. "It probably pretty much shows why were in this situation where we have only five wins and they are the top of the NFC and playing great football," said Manning, who has tied his career high with 25 interceptions. It waas Seattles first shutout since a 58-0 romp over Arizona on Dec.dddddddddddd 9 last year. The Giants lost 38-0 to Carolina in Week 3. "Were not taking anything away from their defence," coach Tom Coughlin said. "Theyre No. 1 in the league for a reason, they are a good defensive team. "Theres no excuse for what went on out there. We kept turning the ball over, and put our defence back out there over and over and over again." Cornerback Byron Maxwell, who has stepped in so capably for Brandon Browner (groin injury), also got two picks. Earl Thomas had the other. The Giants lost top receiver Victor Cruz to a concussion in the fourth quarter. Cruz is 2 yards short of his third straight 1,000-yard season. Hauschka, who is clutch from long distance (14 for 15 from beyond 40 yards), made 49- and 44-yarders, plus a 24-yard field goal. Seattles top-ranked defence had New York off-kilter so badly that three of Mannings interceptions were into tight coverage. Maxwell and Sherman had clearer shots at the ball than Mannings intended receivers. "We wanted to make sure we affected the game," Sherman said. One interception came on a desperation pass to end the half and Thomas pick in the final period was off a deflection. Shermans first pick led to Lynchs brilliant short run for a 10-0 lead. Lynch seemed to be going down several times, but went into full Beast Mode to power into the end zone. Lynch actually was most effective as a receiver with six catches for 73 yards. He rushed for 47. Hauschkas 44-yarder made it 13-0 at halftime, then Sherman got his sixth interception of the season. Maxwells second pick led to Wilsons 12-yard TD pass to Doug Baldwin, the 17th touchdown New York has yielded off a turnover. NOTES: Wilson has 50 touchdown passes in his short pro career. ... Carroll, who was Jets head coach in 1994, suggested with a laugh that people forget the last game he was on the home side in the Meadowlands. ... The Giants were shut out in the first half for the second successive week. They gained only 54 yards in the opening two periods and didnt get into Seattle territory until halfway through the fourth quarter. ... Giants T James Brewer hurt his ankle and RB Peyton Hillis was being tested for concussion symptoms. cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys Ray Ban Outlet Michael Kors Outlet Michael Kors Sale Cheap Michael Kors ' ' '