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06/30/2010 - Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Czech Tomas Berdych posted the biggest win of his career on Wednesday by surprising six-time champion Roger Federer in four sets in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Former champion Rafael Nadal avoided an upset to reach the semifinals here for a fourth time.
The 12th-seeded Berdych dismissed the top-seeded and defending champion Federer 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Centre Court at the All England Club, where the super Swiss had been 51-1 since 2003.
The amazing Federer appeared in the last seven Wimbledon finals, going 6-1. He beat American Andy Roddick in last year's epic finale, which included a 30- game fifth set, and lost to the current world No. 1 Nadal in one of the greatest tennis matches of all-time here two years ago.
The 24-year-old Berdych will appear in his second straight Grand Slam semifinal, having also turned the trick at the French Open four weeks ago.
After splitting the first two sets on Day 9 here, Berdych took control of the match in the third with thunderous serves and groundstrokes. He got his second break of the stanza to forge ahead 5-1, with a crushing backhand winner, and then held serve to close out the set in seven games.
In the fourth set, Berdych got the key break of the match to go up 4-3 on Federer and then held in the next game with an unreturnable 137 miles-per-hour serve.
Federer held in the next game, but was unable to break Berdych after that, as the tall Czech failed on his first match point when Federer popped a backhand volley winner into an open court, but converted on his second match point with one final forehand winner.
It marked Federer's second straight quarterfinal loss at a Grand Slam, as he endured the same fate at the French Open earlier this month.
After the match, Federer said he was "struggling with some back and leg issues."
This marks Federer's earliest exit here since 2002.
Berdych prevailed in 2 hours, 35 minutes by breaking Federer's formidable serve four times, while the Swiss icon could manage only one break on his very disappointing day. Berdych swatted 12 aces among his 51 winners.
The 6-foot-4 Berdych is now 3-8 lifetime against Federer. The Czech slugger beat the Swiss great at the ATP's Miami Masters event earlier this season and also topped him at the Olympic Summer Games in Athens back in 2004.
Federer bested Berdych in the fourth round here at Wimbledon back in 2006 and had been 4-0 versus the big Czech in Grand Slam competition prior to Wednesday.
Berdych, who's won 13 of his last 14 matches on tour, will face Novak Djokovic in Friday's semifinals.
The 28-year-old Federer, who was the top seed here despite being ranked second behind the French Open champ Nadal, appeared in his eighth straight Wimbledon and 25th straight overall Grand Slam quarterfinal on Wednesday.
The 16-time major champion, who is the reigning Australian Open titlist and was last year's U.S. Open runner-up, was chasing a record-tying seventh Wimbledon championship at this fortnight.
In addition to last year, Federer also conquered this most prestigious of tennis tournaments from 2003-07.
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Nadal started of slow against sixth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling before rebounding for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 decision on Court 1. It marked a rematch of this month's French Open finale, which was won by the powerful Spaniard.
Nadal advanced in 2 hours, 43 minutes by breaking Soderling's big serve five times, compared to three breaks for the Swede. Soderling launched 17 aces, but also piled up 35 unforced errors, 23 more than the victorious Spaniard.
The 24-year-old closed out Soderling on his first match point with an easy forehand winner.
Nadal is now 5-2 lifetime against Soderling, including 4-1 in Grand Slam play. The Spaniard topped the Swede in the third round here at Wimbledon three years ago.
The reigning two-time French Open runner-up Soderling shocked Nadal in the fourth round at Roland Garros last year, as Nadal was the reigning four-time champion in Paris at the time.
The high-flying seven-time major titlist Nadal has won 29 of his last 30 matches on tour, including a fifth French Open title four weeks ago. He captured his lone Wimbledon championship two years ago by beating Federer in their showdown for the ages, and missed last year's tournament because of knee injuries.
Nadal lost to Federer in the 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon finales.
The fiery Nadal will meet the Andy Murray-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga winner on Friday.
The third-seeded Serbian star Djokovic also avoided an upset by pasting upstart Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Court 1. The 26-year- old Lu shocked the three-time Wimbledon runner-up Roddick here on Monday.
Djokovic cruised in 1 hour, 51 minutes by striking 16 more winners (29-13) and piling up five service breaks while holding his quality serve throughout.
"Nothing is easy these days, especially at this stage of the tournament," Djokovic said. "But the way I played, I deserved to win. I was hitting all the shots and I was really playing very solid from all parts of the court. I'm very, very happy with the performance today."
The steady 23-year-old Djokovic will appear in his eight career major semi (2-5). He was the Aussie Open champ in 2008.
Djokovic reached the Wimbledon semis in 2007, but was forced to retire against Nadal due to a foot injury while trailing in the third set that day.
"This time physically I'm fitter," Djokovic said. "Those were very strange conditions and circumstances. I had to play three very long matches in three days and couldn't hold on in the semifinal. This time everything is in order and I'll give my best."
Djokovic will meet Berdych for a third time, with the Serb taking their first two encounters in straight sets.
<< Blue Jackets claim LW Moreau off waivers
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday claimed
left winger Ethan Moreau off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers.
The 34-year-old Moreau had been with the Oilers since the 1998-99 season. The
Edmonton captain fi
<< Wizards acquire Thomas from Union
Kansas City, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Union traded defender
Shavar Thomas to the Kansas City Wizards for two second-round draft picks in
2011 and 2012, as well as allocation money, the Major League Soccer clubs
announc
<< Serena will lead Thursday's Wimbledon semifinal charge
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The women's finalists will be
determined here on Thursday, when world No. 1 Serena Williams meets Czech
southpaw Petra Kvitova and 21st-seeded Vera Zvonareva takes on upstart
Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova i
<< Brind'Amour to hold press conference
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes have scheduled a press
conference with Rod Brind'Amour at 2:30 p.m. (et.) at which time the veteran
center is expected to discuss his future with the club.
Brind'Amour, who turns 40 in A
Report: Moss out as Coyotes' president >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NHL has reportedly fired Douglas Moss as
president of the Phoenix Coyotes.
According to TSN.ca, Moss will be replaced by Mike Nealy, who joined the
Coyotes in 2006 and served as an executive vice
IndyCar gears up for Fourth of July affair at Watkins Glen >>
Watkins Glen, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: IZOD IndyCar. Date: Sunday, July
4. Race: Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen. Site: Watkins Glen
International. Track: 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course. Start Time: 3:30 p.m.
(et). Laps: 60. Miles: 204
Clarkson re-ups with Devils >>
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Devils have re-signed right
winger David Clarkson to a multi-year contract.
According to the New York Post, the new deal will pay the 26-year-old
Clarkson $8 million over three year
Get ready for another wild one at Daytona >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup. Date:
Saturday, July 3. Race: Coke Zero 400. Site: Daytona International Speedway.
Track: 2.5-mile tri-oval. Start time: 7:30 p.m. (et). Laps: 160. Miles: 400.
2009 winner: Tony St
In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South. Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC. The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game. For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft. Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.
1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign? New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1. Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT. Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.
Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami
2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season. With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round. LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems. If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.
Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season. The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach. The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub. High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career. With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson.
Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season. The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age. It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot. This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.
Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas
It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season. On the clock: the NFC North
Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2
Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1
Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1
To visit this sportsbook get to MySportsbook.com for all your online sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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