I need to get used to the conditions

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Serena Williams says she asked for a wildcard into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to combat boredom once she believed her back injury was on the mend. Patty Mills Jersey . "My back finally started to feel better but it wasnt better in time for me to play Doha at the level Id like to play," said Williams, in a pre-match media interview on Monday. "So then it became more about what can I play next and this was next on the calendar. "It gets boring to have to practice every day. I was like, I dont want to practice anymore. I want to play a match." The American has been sidelined with an aching back since losing a three-set, fourth-round match to Ana Ivanovic at the Australian Open last month. The top-seeded Williams isnt just playing singles this week in Dubai. She and sister Venus, who also was given a singles wildcard into the main draw, were granted a wildcard into the doubles as well. "I think its actually going to be good for me to do (play singles and doubles) because it will give me some more match play," Williams said. "I need to get used to the conditions and moving so its definitely helpful." Williams, who received a first round bye, will play the winner of the all-Russian encounter between Alisa Kleybanova and Elena Makarova in the second round. In the doubles, the Williams sisters will face the second-seeded Russian pairing of Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the first round. Kawhi Leonard Jersey .Tatjana Haenni, FIFAs head of womens competitions, told a FIFA Live Your Goals Tour news conference Friday that the artificial turf is being tested to make sure it meets standards. Sean Elliott Jersey . The Nuggets leading scorer, Lawson is characterized as day to day by the team. Hes averaging 17.9 points and 8.9 assists. Lawson suffered the injury late in Denvers win Sunday at Sacramento. https://www.cheapspurs.com/226j-tim-duncan-jersey-spurs.html .m. on Friday. Granger was acquired from the Indiana Pacers last Thursday for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen, but never played a minute for Philadelphia. The 76ers also received a 2015 second-round draft pick in the deal.LONDON -- The British government has cut funding for the countrys Olympic basketball program ahead of the 2016 Games. Basketball received 8.6 million pounds ($14 million) in the four years before the 2012 London Olympics where Britain qualified as hosts. But UK Sport, which distributes money from the government and National Lottery, has decided basketball doesnt offer a realistic prospect of producing a medal in Rio de Janeiro. NBA coommissioner Adam Silver said last month the London Olympics were a "lost opportunity" and questioned why the government wasnt backing basketball. Steve Smith Jersey. Roger Moreland, performance chairman at British Basketball, is "aghast" at the decision to strip funding, explaining: "We are still on the road to Rio but we now have to qualify for EuroBasket 2015 with our hands tied behind our back." ' ' '