Schiavone wins Istanbul opener

Tennis Betting Lines

07/27/2010 - Istanbul, Turkey (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It took two days, but French Open champion Francesca Schiavone finally posted a first-round victory at the $220,000 Istanbul Cup hardcourt tennis event.

The top-seeded Schiavone was leading Britain's Anne Keothavong 4-0 in the first set here on Monday when their match was suspended because of rain and darkness. Schiavone wound up with an easy 6-2, 6-2 decision and will meet another Brit, Elena Baltacha, in the round of 16.

Schiavone became the first-ever Italian woman to both reach and win a Grand Slam final at last month's French Open.

This week's second seed was not as fortunate as Schiavone on Tuesday, as Czech Petra Kvitova succumbed to Latvian Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.

Meanwhile, third-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova drubbed Polish qualifier Marta Domachowska 6-1, 6-0 and fifth-seeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova handled German Tatjana Malek 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. Pironkova was a surprise Wimbledon semifinalist earlier this month.

Other upsets came when Russian Anna Lapushchenkova overcame seventh-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 and Swede Johanna Larsson leveled eighth- seeded Swiss veteran Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-2. The 21-year-old Larsson is fresh off her first-ever appearance in a WTA Tour final, last week in Portoroz.

Additional Day-2 wins came for Baltacha, Romanian Sorana Cirstea, Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova, Russians Ekaterina Makarova, a qualifier this week, and Elena Vesnina, and Aussies Jarmila Groth and Anastasia Rodionova.

On Wednesday, reigning Istanbul champ Vera Dushevina will face the aforementioned Sevastova in the second round. The Russian Dushevina doused Czech Lucie Hradecka in last year's finale here.

Wwwdenverpost Tennis Betting News

<< Ortiz, Greisen and Moye-Moore earn weekly AFL honors
Tulsa, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay linebacker ERIC ORTIZ, Milwaukee quarterback CHRIS GREISEN and Orlando linebacker MARLON MOYE-MOORE have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Players and Riddell Defensive Player of the

<< Youzhny, Almagro win openers in Gstaad
Gstaad, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top seeds Mikhail Youzhny of Russia and Nicolas Almagro of Spain were a pair of first-round winners Tuesday at the Swiss Open. Youzhny rolled past French lucky-loser Marc Gicquel 6-2, 6-2 in 72 m

<< Pats sign rookie LB Spikes
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots agreed to terms with rookie linebacker Brandon Spikes on a contract on Tuesday. Details were not disclosed, but the Boston Herald is reporting that the deal is for four years and wo

<< Heat bring back Shavlik Randolph
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat have re-signed free agent forward Shavlik Randolph to an undisclosed contract. Randolph had two separate stints with the Heat last season. He appeared in two games after being signed as a free a

<< Hannover names U.S. defender Cherundolo captain
Hannover, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States defender Steve Cherundolo was named captain of German Bundesliga club Hannover on Tuesday. Cherundolo, 31, has been with Hannover for more than a decade. He joined the club in 1999 and h

Former Dolphin Galbreath dead at 45 >>
Davie, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Harry Galbreath died Tuesday of an apparent heart ailment. He was just 45 years old. The Dolphins organization issued a release Tuesday saying Galbreath had been work

Kings bring in LW Ponikarovsky >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms with left wing Alexei Ponikarovsky on a contract for the next season. Ponikarovsky had spent his entire NHL career with the Maple Leafs before being dealt to Pit

Bartoli reaches second round in Stanford >>
Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning champion Marion Bartoli was a first- round victor Tuesday at the $700,000 Bank of the West Classic tennis event. The former Wimbledon runner-up Bartoli handled American Ashley Harkleroad 6-1, 6-4 on t

Player of the 3/4 Year >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Can you believe that the FedEx Cup Playoffs begin four weeks from Thursday? You probably can - you understand time at this point in your life - but the regular season in golf is almost over. Do we have a l

Hot Fish pulls out of LA event >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red-hot American Mardy Fish pulled out of the $700,000 Farmers Classic tennis event on Tuesday, citing fatigue and an ankle injury. An eighth-seeded Fish was scheduled to meet German Benjamin Becker in an

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.


NFL Football Office Pool Printable Schedules
MySportsbook.com , leading online sportsbook, offers free NFL football office pool printable sheets! Run your own NFL Football Office Pool. Create your own pool, invite your friends to join. Compete with your with co-workers, friends or family for bragging rights every week. Exchange some hard hits without risk of injury -- Trash Talk with your fellow co-workers.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football sportsbook needs.