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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Monica Puig isnt the first Puerto Rican womens tennis player to win a gold medal at the Olympics. Shes just the first to win one for Puerto Rico.And Gigi Fernandez was thrilled to see it happen.Fernandez, a Puerto Rican who won Olympic gold in doubles in 1992 and 1996 but did so while representing the United States, has dealt with plenty of social-media criticism in recent days as the wounds caused by her decision from a generation ago were reopened, in part from her own Twitter commentary. But after watching Puigs historic win on television from her Connecticut home on Saturday, Fernandez said her only regret was not being in Rio de Janeiro to watch it live.Nothing about Monica winning has bothered me at all, Fernandez, a 17-time Grand Slam doubles winner who now coaches and is a mom to 7-year-old twins, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. What bothered me was some of the things people were saying to me. For some reason people thought I wouldnt be happy for her. Im wildly ecstatic. I cannot believe how well she played.Puig, who was unseeded, knocked off second-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Afterward, Puig wrapped herself in a Puerto Rican flag and wiped away plenty of joyous tears.After Puigs win, there was a note awaiting her from Fernandez as well.I know her and she wrote to me, congratulating me, so thats very nice, Puig said. She played in the doubles, and I know that she won the gold medal. ... For me, its inspiring, really.Her win instantly became big news in Puerto Rico, where fans flocked into restaurants and bars to watch her final match on television.Best sport moment I have ever witnessed, former major league baseball player Alex Cora said after watching Puigs win in Puerto Rico.Yet not all the reaction was joyful, especially what was directed toward Fernandez. Tweets sent her way ranged from a handful of those coming to her defense to some being downright profane.For her part, Fernandez didnt often engage back.Im trying not to fuel the fire and let Monica have her stage, Fernandez said.But during the opening ceremony of the Rio Games, Fernandez started this new round of old debate with a tweet .Puerto Ricos flagbearer for the opening was Jaime Espinal, a wrestler born in the Dominican Republic. Fernandez tweeted a photo of the Puerto Rican team walking into Maracana Stadium with words in Spanish that translated to asking if Espinal is Dominican or Puerto Rican.Double standard, she wrote.That opened the floodgates, re-opening the issue that started when she decided to play doubles for the U.S. at the 1992 Barcelona Games and four years later in Atlanta. Its a decision that Fernandez insists wasnt easy, but was made simply because she wasnt even sure Puerto Rico could qualify for doubles -- her specialty -- and get into those Olympics. So when a chance to play for the U.S. and partner with Mary Joe Fernandez came, Gigi Fernandez felt she was making the smartest move.If I was destined to win a medal, it would have been in doubles and Puerto Rico did not have another player that I could have played with, she said. I struggled with the decision. But now its behind us.She was the first Puerto Rican professional athlete, part of a group -- Mary Joe Fernandez and Gabriela Sabatini also included -- that, as Puig said Saturday night, all played a role in inspiring her to pick up the game.Puig knocked off the worlds second-ranked player in Kerber in the final, and also beat No. 4 Garbine Muguruza earlier in the tournament.I cannot believe how well she played, Fernandez said. To take out two of the top five players and win gold is just remarkable. I dont know what possessed her -- but she needs to carry it for the rest of her life.And when Puig goes back to Puerto Rico, Fernandez knows what awaits.A heroes welcome, probably a parade and they might rename the capital of Puerto Rico to Monica, Fernandez said. She definitely deserves everything shes going to get.Rickey Jackson Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Thomas Morstead Womens Jersey . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Marshon-Lattimore-Jersey/ .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Morten Andersen Youth Jersey . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. Ted Ginn Jr Youth Jersey . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U.Warriors boss Jim Doyle has pointed to another bad start as a major reason the club failed to make the NRL playoffs for a fifth year in a row.Doyle, the clubs managing director, says the past decade has shown that the Warriors begin campaigns poorly, when looking at the first block of eight games.We have on average three wins, so we get six points out of 16, he told Warriors TV.In the middle, we tend to do well - we tend to get 10 or 12 points - then we tend to fall off again at the end.Unfortunately this year has been very similar. We started off the season really poorly. We put ourselves under pressure.In 2016, the Warriors had three wins after round eight, after having begun the year with three consecutive losses.ddddddddddddhey still had a chance of making the playoffs with four rounds to go, but proceeded to lose all four remaining fixtures to finish 10th, three points outside the top eight, with a 10-14 record.The Warriors failure again to make the finals had increased speculation over the future of coach Andrew McFadden, who has one year left on his contract.Doyle said board member Owen Eastwood would lead a review into every part of the clubs structure to see where the Warriors fell short. ' ' '