Kvitova, Sharapova, Serena reach Aussie round of 16
Tennis Betting Lines
01/21/2012 -
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Petra Kvitova,
fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova and five-time champion Serena Williams were a
trio of third-round winners Saturday at the Australian Open.
The Wimbledon and WTA Championships titlist Kvitova was pummeling 27th-
seeded Maria Kirilenko 6-0, 1-0 when the Russian glamour girl retired because
of a thigh injury on Day 6 of the fortnight.
Kvitova is one of four women who could be No. 1 at the end of this fortnight.
"I don't know who lost and who win," Kvitova said. "No, really, for me doesn't
care."
Kvitova's fourth-round opponent will be former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic.
Sharapova, who was last year's Wimbledon runner-up to the left-handed Kvitova,
leveled 30th-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-1, 6-2 in 87 minutes.
The former world No. 1 Sharapova, who captured the 2008 Aussie Open for her
third career Grand Slam championship, will take on tough German Sabine Lisicki
here on Monday.
A 12th-seeded Williams, meanwhile, dominated helpless Hungarian Greta Arn
6-1, 6-1 in a mere 59 minutes at Melbourne Park.
Leading 5-0 and a point away from winning the opening set, the former top-
ranked Williams set-up for an overhead smash, only to shank it wide of the
court. The powerful American screamed and put a hand over her face.
"It was an awkward smash. Then she missed one and I felt a little better,"
Williams said. "I felt like, 'Am I losing my mind out here?' Everyone
sometimes hits a shot that's a little bit insane -- you just got to allow
yourself to get over it."
The 13-time major champion Williams has now won her last 17 matches in
Melbourne, where she titled back-to-back in 2009 and 2010 before missing last
year's event because of a series of health issues.
"I'm nowhere near where I want to be," Williams said. "I'm just trying to play
through it. A little rusty -- just trying to play through my rust."
Up next for Williams will be surprise Russian Ekaterina Makarova, who stunned
her seventh-seeded compatriot Vera Zvonareva, 7-6 (9-7), 6-1. Zvonareva was a
Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist in 2010.
Another upset came when ninth-seeded former Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli
of France was ousted by surging Chinese Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-3. Zheng captured a
title in Auckland just two weeks ago.
A 14th-seeded Lisicki needed all three sets to overcome 18th-seeded Russian
Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, while the 21st-seeded Serbian Ivanovic
was a straight-set winner over American Vania King, 6-3, 6-4. The former top-
five star Kuznetsova is a two-time major champ. The former No. 1 Ivanovic
was the '08 Aussie runner-up to the Russian Sharapova.
Also advancing Saturday was Italian Sara Errani, who rallied for a
6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-2 victory over Romanian Sorana Cirstea. Errani will meet
Zheng in the round of 16.
The fourth round will get underway on Sunday, including matches for top-ranked
Caroline Wozniacki and reigning Aussie champ Kim Clijsters.
The former U.S. Open runner-up Wozniacki will face 13th-seeded former world
No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, while the 11th-seeded Clijsters will battle fifth-
seeded Chinese Li Na in a rematch of last year's Melbourne finale, which was
won by Clijsters in three sets. Clijsters is a four-time Grand Slam champ,
while Li captured her first-ever major title at the French Open last spring.
Also on Sunday, third-seeded Belarusian slugger Victoria Azarenka will face
veteran Czech left-hander Iveta Benesova and eighth-seeded Pole Aggie
Radwanska will encounter 22nd-seeded German Julia Goerges.
Azarenka titled in Sydney last week by beating Li in the marquee finale.
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Bet NFL Sports Lines
Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.
Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.
A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.
Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.
Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.
And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.
2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win
Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1
Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 5/1
Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1
Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1
Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1
Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1
Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1
Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1
Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1
Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1
Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1
Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1
Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1
Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1
Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1
Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1
Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1
Jason Smith (STL) 40/1
Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1
Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1
Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2
Pat White (MIA) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 9/1
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