11/11/2008 - Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and rising Argentine Juan Martin del Potro were Tuesday's round-robin winners at the $4.45 million Tennis Masters Cup.
The second-seeded Djokovic reached the semifinals here by outlasting fourth- seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 (7-3), 0-6, 7-5 on Day 3 on the indoor hardcourt at Qi Zhong Stadium.
Djokovic topped Davydenko in 2 hours, 18 minutes by breaking the Russian on four occasions and firing eight aces. Davydenko could manage only two breaks in defeat.
The 21-year-old Djokovic is 2-0 and leads the four-player Gold Group, while Davydenko dropped to 1-1 for the week. The Serb is 1-1 lifetime against the gritty Russian, with both meetings coming this season.
Up next for Djokovic will be sixth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the Aussie Open runner-up to the Serb back in January, while Davydenko will face the seventh-seeded del Potro. Tsonga and del Potro are making their Masters Cup debuts this week.
Thursday's Davydenko-del Potro winner will join Djokovic in the semis from the Gold Group.
The 6-foot-5 del Potro edged out Tsonga 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) on Tuesday. Del Potro is now 1-1, while Tsonga is out of semifinal contention at 0-2.
Del Potro topped Tsonga in 1 hour, 50 minutes and withstood a 17-ace barrage from the talented Frenchman. The lanky Argentine is now 2-0 all-time versus Tsonga.
Red Group action will be staged here on Wednesday, as top-seeded Swiss Roger Federer (0-1) takes on fifth-seeded American Andy Roddick (0-1) and third- seeded Brit Andy Murray (1-0) meets eighth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon (1-0). Simon shocked Federer here on Monday, while Murray got past Roddick on Day 2.
Murray and Simon, like Tsonga and del Potro, are Masters Cup rookies. The U.S. Open runner-up Murray has won 15 of his last 16 matches overall, including titles in St. Petersburg and Madrid.
The 13-time major champion Federer has won this event four times, including the last two years. He topped Spain's David Ferrer in last year's finale in Shanghai.
Federer is a lopsided 15-2 lifetime against his fellow former world No. 1 Roddick, but the American is 1-0 this year, with the surprising victory coming in Miami back in April. The Swiss is a perfect 3-0 in their Masters Cup encounters.
The reigning five-time U.S. Open champion Federer is the only former Masters Cup champ in this year's field.
Murray and Simon will meet for a fourth time, with the Brit holding a 2-1 career advantage. Murray is already 2-0 against the Frenchman this year.
<< Nuggets hit the road to Charlotte
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets open a three-game road trip in Charlotte
on Tuesday when they take on the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena.
The Nuggets reached the .500 mark (3-3) on Sunday when Carmelo Anthony scored
24 points and
<< Slumping T'Wolves take on Warriors
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Timberwolves will attempt to halt a five-game
skid Tuesday as they conclude a three-game West Coast road swing in Oakland
versus the Golden State Warriors.
Portland All-Star Brandon Roy scored 24 points,
<< Knicks pay a visit to San Antonio
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The surprising New York Knicks open a quick two-game road
trip Tuesday when they travel to San Antonio to face the injury-ravaged Spurs.
The Knicks won their third straight game when Jamal Crawford had a game-high
32
<< Kobe leads unbeaten Lakers into Dallas
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The undefeated Los Angeles Lakers kick off a short two-game
road swing Tuesday when they travel to North Texas to face the Dallas
Mavericks.
The Lakers improved to 5-0 on the young season on Sunday when reigni
Hawks swoop into Windy City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The surprising Atlanta Hawks will try to remain unbeaten
Tuesday and snap a seven-game skid in the Second City as they continue a four-
game road swing in Chicago against the Bulls.
The Hawks opened the trip with a h
Iverson, Pistons aim for a win at Kings >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit has dropped two straight games since making a
blockbuster trade to acquire nine-time All-Star Allen Iverson last week. The
Pistons will try and stem that tide Tuesday when they arrive in California's
capital
Habs try to halt skid, take on Senators >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to avoid a third
consecutive loss when they welcome the Ottawa Senators for a Northeast
Division clash at the Bell Centre.
The Canadiens have dropped back-to-back games for the first time th
Islanders host Flyers in New York matinee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Islanders will host a Veterans Day matinee
when they welcome the Philadelphia Flyers for this afternoon's matchup at
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Flyers and Islanders are the bottom two teams in the
Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).
Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.
A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.
Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.
"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.
De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.
The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.
The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.
De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.
Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.
But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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