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In todays real world, 60 is said to be the new 50.In the slightly surreal world of elite tennis, there is a parallel paradigm: hope for those approaching 30 (and already beyond).Weeks before her 30th birthday, Francesca Schiavone won her first and only major, the 2010 French Open. Li Na, who took the crown a year later at Roland Garros at the age of 29, earned her second Grand Slam singles title, the 2014 Australian Open, one month shy of 32. Flavia Pennetta was 33 when she broke through at the 2015 US Open, defeating 32-year-old Roberta Vinci in the final.Stan Wawrinka won this years US Open, his third major title in three years, at 31, and 29-year-old Andy Murray became the oldest first-time No. 1-ranked player since John Newcombe in 1974.Add Angelique Kerber to the growing list of athletes who have blossomed spectacularly in their maturing years. After going 0-for-32 in nine previous seasons of Grand Slams, the 28-year-old German won this years Australian Open and US Open and supplanted Serena Williams as the No. 1-ranked player.What was she, No. 10 a year ago? asked ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert. Ten to one is pretty good.Coincidentally, thats the best such leap since Gilbert coached Andy Roddick from a No. 10 year-end ranking to No. 1 at the end of 2003.For Kerber to win two majors, almost out of nowhere, Gilbert continued, I did not see that coming.Who did? Perhaps only Kerber herself and longtime coach Torben Beltz.Her 2015 season was typical of the recent success that came with three consecutive year-end finishes in the top 10. The lefty won $1.9 million and four titles -- in the relatively modest venues of Charleston, Stuttgart, Birmingham and Stanford -- more than doubling her previous career victory total. Her match record was 53-22. A thoroughly professional effort, but her record in majors was only 6-4 and she failed to advance past the third round.This caused Kerber to rethink her career.A year ago, for whatever reason, Kerber realized she needed to be more consistently emotionally stable and engaged in all her matches, said Pam Shriver, who will join Gilbert next month as part of ESPNs Australian Open coverage. She also realized, although she was already pretty fit, she could take fitness to the next level. Upon those two things happening, things fell into place at Melbourne.Indeed, fitness was always a Kerber calling card. It allowed her to play long rallies and defend as well as any of her competitors. But that skill set came with a downside; there was usually a reluctance, particularly under duress, to go for the decisive shot.Kerber explained her dramatically changed 2016 mindset after beating Karolina Pliskova in the US Open final.Being more aggressive and go for it when I have the chance, she said. Not just hitting balls over the net. I know that when I [was] practicing I can be aggressive. Just make the transfer on the match court -- that was the challenge.And also, mentally being more positive, a little bit more stronger, and just focusing on the moment I am on court.In the past, adversity sometimes brought on bad body language that reflected her doubt. After losing the second set to Pliskova in New York, Kerbers manner remained upbeat.I just told myself, OK, stay positive. Believe in your game, Kerber told reporters after the match. I was thinking a little bit on the final in Australia, where I was also in the third set. I believed then in my game, and I did it today as well. So that was in my mind to stop the negative emotions and change it again in a positive way.For athletes, there is a powerful correlation between all things physical and mental. When world No. 1s Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic were nursing injuries this year, they sometimes became visibly and uncharacteristically frustrated on the court. Mind under matter, as it were.For Kerber, it was the other way around. After building a best-ever fitness base by bringing new intensity to her work in the gym and on the practice courts, she employed her more aggressive philosophy and, finally, in the moments that mattered most, prevailed.Before Kerber, the last WTA player to win two majors outside Serena was Belgiums Justine Henin, who took the French Open and US Open titles in 2007. She was 25 years old and subsequently would retire twice, never to win another major. The trajectory of Amelie Mauresmo is more similar to Kerbers. The Frenchwoman was 26 when she won her only two majors, the 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon, and was ranked No. 1 for 34 weeks. She made the semifinals of the US Open that year, too, but in the 11 majors that followed never advanced past the fourth round.Kerber looked weary following the clay-court season, losing her first matches in Madrid, Rome and Paris. The opening-round loss to Kiki Bertens at Roland Garros was a bracing wake-up call for Kerber, who rallied to reach the finals at Wimbledon (losing to Serena) and the Rio Olympics (Monica Puig) before winning the US Open.There, she acknowledged the uncomfortable weight of being a Grand Slam champion.Im ready to have this pressure on my shoulder, she said, responding to a question about entering 2017 as the No. 1-ranked player. Because I think I get used to all of this, especially after my first Grand Slam in Australia. I had so much pressure after the title.The swiftly changing landscape at the top of the womens game should make for a fascinating 2017. What does Serena Williams have left? Can Maria Sharapova return to Grand Slam form when she comes back from a drug ban in the spring? When will Victoria Azarenka, soon due to give birth to her first child, get back on the court? Is Garbine Muguruza ready to build on her French Open win? Which of the young top-10 players -- Madison Keys, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova, Johanna Konta -- will step up and win her first Slam??And what to expect from Kerber?It used to be, back in the day, that it was a damn good year if you won one, Gilbert said. Two is outrageous.The hardest thing to do after being great for the first time is to back it up. If she can be in the finals of two Slams and win one, that would be a great year.That doesnt sound like Kerbers goal for 2017.Being No. 1, of course now everybody will try to beat me and have nothing to lose, she said. I will try to take this challenge because it will be a little bit new situation for me. Now I can take the next step and try to [stay] as long as I can there.Caleb Swanigan Blazers Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Nik Stauskas Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. https://www.blazerslockerroom.com/Anfernee-Simons-City-Edition-Jersey/ ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Jusuf Nurkic Blazers Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Damian Lillard Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods.When searching for a new head football coach, schools have been showing more willingness to hire an up-and-comer like Tom Herman or P.J. Fleck, rather than a veteran with a long track record of success such as Les Miles.The average age of the head coaches hired by FBS teams last season was 43.2 years old, the youngest it has been in the past six years. Eight of the 26 new hires were under 40 at the time they accepted the job.In 2010 and 2011, the average age of the 48 coaches hired by FBS schools was a touch over 47, with a total of eight under the age of 40.People in the business of hiring coaches are hesitant to call anything a trend. Each school comes to the marketplace with different needs and criteria.The current climate leaves Western Michigans 35-year-old Fleck and Houstons 41-year-old Herman better positioned to land a major job than a potential Hall of Famer such as Miles. The 62-year-old former LSU coach won 77 percent of his games and a national title in 11-plus seasons with the Tigers before being fired in September.Daniel Parker, the vice president and managing director of sports for Parker Executive Search based in Atlanta, said potential is often more appealing to those hiring a coach than a long resume.Bringing in somebody thats got a lot of energy, thats going to change the program, recruit really well, work really hard, that does something for the fan base. It re-energizes the athletics department. Re-energizes the fans, Parker said.Miles told Sports Illustrated last week he has 10 or 12 years left in me. An out-of-date offense was a big part of why Miles was ousted, but he says he is willing to change and evolve his philosophies.Recent history suggests the demand for Miles could be limited.In 2010 and 11, four coaches who were at least 60 were hired by FBS teams, two each season. Since, Mike Riley, who went from Oregon State to Nebraska after the 2014 season, is the only 60-or-older coach to be hired as an FBS head coach.I think its going to be up to Les as to what hes interested in doing, said Jed Hughes, of executive search firm Korn Ferry. Hes been at a powerful school. Does he think he wants to be at that level or will he be satisfied with something a little less that would allow him to stay in a Power Five school but not have the same kind of aura and tradition that LSU did?Mack Brown was 62 when he was pushed out at Texas after the 2013 season. He also has Hall of Fame-worthy credentials, but his last few years with the Longhorns when he went 30-21 overshadowed his string of nine straight double-digit victory seasons and a national title at Texas. Former coaches such as Brown and Phillip Fulmer, who was pushed out by Tennessee after the 2008 season at age 58, end up being defined by their awkward exits instead oof their long runs of success.dddddddddddd Fans rarely want the coach some other school just discarded.Brown said he still has not ruled out coaching again, but he is not actively pursuing jobs.I do think so many of the athletic directors and presidents have to listen to their boosters and a lot of their boosters want whatever the hot name is not only this year but this week, Brown said.The job of major college football coach is increasingly becoming a 365-day per year gig. Recruiting never really takes a break. Recently proposed NCAA reforms to the recruiting calendar were made to acknowledge that schools are routinely offering scholarships to high school well before their senior seasons.I remember specifically one (older coach) said, `Dont hire me. Toledo athletic director Mike OBrien said. Meaning, dont hire someone of my age because I cant handle the 24/7 business of college football.The last hiring cycle also had the highest percentage of college coordinators and assistants with no head-coaching experience to become head coaches at Power Five schools since 2010.Five of the 12 Power Five openings went to assistants and none was older than 43. Most notably, Georgia hired 40-year-old Kirby Smart, the former longtime Alabama defensive coordinator and Georgia alum, and USC promoted former Trojans offensive Clay Helton, 43, after he served as interim coach.There are plenty of examples of these types of hires working out just fine. Bob Stoops was a 39-year-old defensive coordinator when Oklahoma hired him in 1999, and Mark Richt was 41 with no head-coaching experience when he became Georgias coach in 2001.Hughes said being a head coach has become more complicated since then because of the size and scope of the most prominent programs.I would make the argument that a Power Five high-profile program, hiring an assistant coach thats not a proven head coach is a major risk, Hughes said.Rick Chryst, the brother of Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst and former Mid-American Conference commissioner, said hiring younger head coaches is a byproduct of a different trend: Less patience by schools in a rush for success.You got some really good coaches who have cycled through once and are young enough to have another head job in them, Chryst said.One bad stint as a head coach is often hard to overcome.I had an AD tell me its all about brokering hope, said former Colorado and Boise State coach Dan Hawkins, who is working for ESPN and about to turn 56. If you go hire a guy thats never been a head coach he is a blank slate. So the fans and the media are all enamored with that.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '