SINGAPORE -- The comparisons with Serena Williams have always been more of a disservice than an inspiration to Madison Keys. She might be the anointed flag-bearer for the next generation of American female tennis stars, but Keys has never really liked the burden of trying to match Williams or appease an impatient public wanting more. And why should she? Williams has 22 Grand Slam singles titles; Keys has none. At least for now.Unlike Williams, who had completed her own career Grand Slam by the time she was old enough to buy booze legally, Keys is still a work in progress at 21. But that doesnt mean shes not doing great things.But those great things will have to wait, at least for now. On Thursday night in Singapore, world No. 1 Angelique Kerber?presented Keys a tennis master class. Although Kerber had already qualified for the knockout phase and knew Keys would join her in the last four if the American won at least one set, Kerber played pristine tennis once again, winning 6-3, 6-3.I let nerves get the best of me, and I think that happens to everyone, Keys said afterward. Just something that I need to work on. Its not a bad thing. It happens to a lot of people. People figure it out. Obviously Im not the best at it, at 21. But hopefully there is a couple more years to figure that out.Keys is still on a sharp learning curve and remains her own harshest critic. Her biggest takeaway from Singapore was not what went right but went wrong. She knows she has a rocket of a serve and booming groundstrokes that should have been ideally suited to the indoor hard courts where the finals are played, but she also knows she made too many mistakes to be able to rattle her more seasoned opponents.I think one big thing for me that I need to work on is being able to separate my feelings and emotions from my matches, Keys said. I think when its a high-stress situation, my tennis definitely takes a big dip. Thats something Im gonna have to work on.This is obviously my first experience in a setting like this.Ranked seventh in the world, she was the youngest player to qualify for the WTA Finals in Singapore, reserved for the worlds elite top eight. She didnt make the semifinals after losing to Kerber and the fourth-ranked Simona Halep but did manage a win against the vastly more experienced Dominika Cibulkova -- no small feat.Overall, its an amazing experience to be here, she told reporters in Singapore. I worked really hard to get here, so Im proud of myself for that.Keys earned her place in the WTA Finals the old-fashioned way: slogging it out all season long and accruing the points through consistency rather than with one big breakthrough. She did capture her second WTA Tour title, at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, in June, and made the final at the Italian Open and Canadian Open. But the bulk of her points came from reaching the round of 16 at all four Grand Slam tournaments.Ive gotten a lot better at figuring matches out when I wasnt necessarily playing well, Keys said. That was a big goal of mine. Thats something that I can use all of next year and years to come. I think the biggest thing is just wanting to get better every single day and never really being completely happy. I think pushing myself like that has really helped me get to where I am.If Keys requires some fresh inspiration, she needs look no further than Kerber. At 28, Kerber is the oldest woman to reach the No. 1 ranking and is in the best form of her life, winning the Australian Open and US Open titles this year. A perennial underachiever for most of her career, the German is now a model of calmness and efficiency.Before this week, Kerber had managed just one win in three trips to the WTA Finals. This time shes 3-0, safely through to the semifinals and the favorite to win the title.For Keys, rather than feeling deflated after being beaten up by another older opponent, she was actually grateful for the schooling.It just makes you realize it doesnt all have to happen right now, she said. Sometimes you have to give yourself a break. I think it just shows that tennis is evolving a little bit. People arent winning Slams at 21 anymore. Its later.Angelique made No. 1 in the world at 28; that wasnt happening before. So that just gives me a little bit of relief. It feels like I dont have to figure it all out tomorrow. Derrick Favors JerseyPelicans Jerseys 2020 . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. https://www.cheappelicans.com/ . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Marcus Thornton Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. New Orleans Pelicans Pro Shop .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Devocio Butler hit three 3-pointers and finished with 19 points -- both career highs -- and Nico Carvacho had his first-career double-double as Colorado State beat Northern Colorado 81-64 on Saturday.Carvacho made 5 of 6 from the field, scored 13 points and grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds. Gian Clavell, making his season debut after an indefinite suspension following two arrests in a 14-month span, scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and J.D. Paige haad 12 points for the Rams.ddddddddddddColorado State (8-2) led by just one at halftime but scored the first nine second-half points to make it 43-33 and then a 3 by Clavell capped a 12-0 run that made it 65-45 with 9:34 left. Northern Colorado (3-6) trailed by at least 17 the rest of the way.Chaz Glotta had 18 points and Jordan Davis scored 17 for the Bears. ' ' '