Wimbledon – Williams Sisters fail to pass the 4th round

It wasn’t a great day for Serena Williams, the defending champion who had fought her way back into the Grand Slam she has been so dominant at. After almost spending a year out of the professional circuit recovering from a freak foot injury first and some life threatening blood clots in her lungs later, Serena made her way back into the immaculate grass fields of the All English Club in Wimbledon. It was an emotive and exciting comeback for a player who had fought so hard to get back into the game. But it all ended a little too soon.

Her sister, and five-time Wimbledon Champion, Venus Williams, was working her way back into the top of the sport. She was running for her sixth title at Wimbledon, but couldn’t hold up to Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova and lost in straight sets in the 4th round. Pironkova is not an unfamiliar face to Venus Williams. Truth is that she has been somewhat of a nightmare for Venus recently. Not only did she just outplay her 6-2, 6-3 earlier today, but she also defeated Williams a year ago to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal. Pironkova had also won their first round match in the unexpected and odd-breaking first round win against Venus Williams in the 2006 Australian Open.

It is certainly an unfamiliar situation for the Williams sisters. Truth is that the two of them have won 9 of the last 11 titles disputed in Wimbledon. Just to put this into the right perspective you might want to consider that the two sisters have faced each other in the finals in four different occasions. After what we saw from both players in the first round, some fans and sports commentators where starting to imagine that the two sisters could once again win it all and see each other in the Final. Not many were expecting the Williams sisters to be ousted in the same day on the tournament they had dominated for over a decade.

Serena Williams was ousted by Marion Bartoli 6-3, 7-6 (6) in one very exciting game. Not exactly what we had in mind for Serena’s comeback. We had some great expectations for Serena Williams. This was somewhat of a chance to vindicate her status. She had been fighting and struggling against so many health problems that it seems quite an unexpected end to her return to Grand Slam tennis. Serena, a four-time winner at the All England Club, saved four match points before the ninth-seeded Frenchwoman closed out the contest by hitting a service winner into the corner. It was Williams’ earliest exit at Wimbledon since a third-round loss in 2005. Serena had 20 unforced errors and even though she had 29 winners she wasn’t really too focus on her game. Let’s consider that she only managed to convert one of five break points. Bartoli served 10 aces, two more than Williams, and kept down her errors to 17.

Things weren’t great for her sister either. Venus was clearly having and off day. Contrary to what we are used to see in her precise and power filled game, Venus committing 16 unforced errors and managed to convert only one of four break points. She was broken four times. The 33rd-seeded Pironkova new she had what it takes to defeat Venus. Only a year ago, Pironkova lost in the semifinals here last year to eventual runner-up Vera Zvonareva. If she really wants to make it into the final, she’ll stay focused just as she did while she played steady tennis against Venus.

:Grand Slam betting, Williams sisters ousted, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Odds, WTA tennis
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Bolton v Wigan FA Cup fourth round replay preview

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FA Cup Lancashire derbies can be like buses. Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic had never previously met in the FA Cup before their fourth round clash last month but a goalless stalemate means they must go head-to-head for the second time on 16th February, this time at the DW stadium.

A tough last 16 trip to Fulham awaits the winner but the allure of the latter stages of the competition was not enough for both managers to field full-strength teams at the Reebok Stadium. Wigan are preoccupied with their relegation battle and put out a team full of fringe players, an approach that paid partial dividend against a strong Bolton team that is looking up rather than down the Premier League table. They’ll more than a few FA Cup bets placed on them progressing.

As pleased as Roberto Martinez was with his team’s battling effort in the original tie, another meeting with strong opposition is not ideal as his team continue to battle against the drop. Expect a similar approach to team selection from both managers.

Bolton have lost their last six league away fixtures, a dramatic collapse of form on the road having lost only one of their first seven away assignments. Owen Coyle will be desperate to rediscover that away form and will stick with much of the team that performed creditably in a narrow defeat at Spurs in their last away match.

Wigan’s crucial 4-3 win over Blackburn was just their third in 14 home league matches, so Bolton’s local rivals appears a good place to end their poor run of results on the road. Five of the 11 Premier League meetings between these teams have ended in draws and extra time might well be needed in this one, with Bolton the team to back to progress.

NFL – Seattle Seahawks upsets the New Orleans Saints in Wild Card Round

The Seattle Seahawks are working their way into the playoffs in the most bizarre way. And it’s all because of where they have come from. There is no doubt among fans and sports reporters alike: the weakest link in professional football can be found in the Western Division of the National Football Conference.

Just to get you into the right perspective, we have to consider that neither Seattle, the St. Louis Rams, the San Francisco 49ers nor the Arizona Cardinals had a winning season in this 2010. At 7-9 overall and 4-2 record in division play the Seahawks clinched division and made it into the Wild Card Round. That is despite their losing season. In other words, Seattle qualified into the playoffs just because they where the strongest team in the weakest division in professional football. As a matter of fact, the Seahawks could never link more then two wins during the regular season.

And yet, somehow, the Seahawks where able to put in 41 points over the New Orleans Saints, a team that not only holds a 11-5 record for the regular season but is also the Super Bowl defending Champions. So, the Seahawks have become the first NFL team to win a Playoffs game with a 7-9 record as the guys from Seattle completed an epic 41-36 upset against the Saints at the Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington.

The Seahawks’ quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was absolutely outstanding in this Sunday’s game. He completed 22 of his 35 attempts to push the chains 272 yards for 4-touchdown passes and 1 interception. This has been his personal best performance in a playoffs game. Such a great performance that it was good enough to outplay the Saints’ quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, Andrew Brees as he completed 39 of 60 for 404 yards (that’s almost twice as many as Hasselbeck) for two touchdowns and no interceptions.

It seems that everyone in Seattle was capable of getting their act together when it mattered most. As a matter of fact, Hasselback was able to find wide-open players with enormous ease. He sent a pair of touchdowns passes to tight-end John Carlson (even thought this guy only scored one TD in the regular season). He then connected with Brandon Stokley on a 45-yard touchdown right before the halftime break. He then found Mike Williams right after the break to complete a 38 yards on the Seahawks first drive in the third quarter. That was enough to give the Seahawks 31-20 lead over the Saints, and work its way up for an intense finish.

Marshawn Lynch was the man of the hour as he finished off the Saints with an nerve breaking 67 yard run with 3:22 left on the clock for a team with a losing season win its first ever playoffs game. Lynch took on a second down carry breaking off six tackles on his long run as eight different New Orleans players put hands on him. That, and a very stiff arm against cornerback Tracy Porter was enough to complete the longest scoring run of Lynch’s career and the Seahawks pass into the next round.

FA Cup Third Round draw kind to Premier League Teams

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As the all important Christmas period draws closer, football teams in all divisions will be looking to take advantage of the congested fixtures to finish the year on a high note and put themselves in best possible shape for the second half to the season. However, amidst the festive matches, the FA Cup begins for teams in the Premier League and Championship with the playing of the FA Cup third round.

As always, the third round draw of the FA Cup has thrown up some mouth watering matches but which, in an overall sense has been kind to the Premier League clubs, with only one all Premier League match to be played.

That said, a number of Premier League teams do have tough matches in prospect, none more so than Blackburn who host Championship leaders, QPR. Stoke City have also drawn a tough match, but will have home advantage at least against Championship promotion candidates, Cardiff City, who were finalists at Wembley three years ago.

Undoubtedly the tie of Round Three of the 2010/11FA Cup is the Manchester United v Liverpool encounter at Old Trafford. This will be the one all neutrals will be most  interested in and will be a match, that Liverpool, arguably at least, will want to win more than United as it represents a clear cut chance for them to qualify for European football next season.

Defending champions, Chelsea have managed to draw a home game against Roy Keane’s Ipswich, but should have little difficulty in overcoming the Championship strugglers. While Arsenal will not have anything like the same confidence against Leeds United, who it might well be remembered put out Manchester United at this stage last year at Old Trafford, courtesy of  a Jermaine Beckford goal. Leeds are a much improved side since then too and the Gunners home form is, to say the least, shaky.

Manchester City have an extremely difficult game away at Leicester in a match with more than a twist of irony attached to it. Neither Roberto Mancini or before him, Mark Hughes, have been able to garner a team worthy of being called champions, despite putting together the most valuable squad in the entire football league. Of course waiting for them at Leicester will be former boss, Sven Goran Eriksson, who many fans feel was unjustly treated by the Eastlands club when they sacked him three years ago. Leicester have improved enormously under Swede’ s guidance and are sure to put up a strong show against the

Event: English Carling Cup – Round 4 – West Ham United v. Stoke City

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US Open: Federer has an easy entrance into the third round

by Stephen Lars on Sep.04, 2010, under Sports News, Tennis

The Federer Express is back. At least he seems to be really back in his best physical shape. When one follows a complete game by Roger, especially when he plays lower seeded players in the first rounds of the tournaments, one can’t help but to wonder if he ever gets bored. There is something about how he plays, about the way he puts out his offensive arsenal, that one can’t help but to feel some sort of a mix emotion. For one-side, you are just amazed at the talent and how blatantly superior he is in the court. On the other hand (and this might, and probably is just me) I can’t really help but expect the underdog to somehow just come out and defeat him.

I don’t know if I am alone here. I do have a bit of a thing for Cinderella stories. Particularly because given the odds, sometimes I do like to take my extra risks and howler and even put down my bucks for the underdog. Most of the times I lose my bet, but still, at least with Roger Federer on the early rounds, it makes his games far more interesting when I cheer for the guy who is on the other side of the court, struggling to complete the returns, and deal with the physiological and mental dimension of a player who can pull stunts like he did on the first round game of this year’s US Open.

Just throw out a search for Roger Federer’s tweener against Dabul in the first round over at Youtube. Oh men that was beautiful. You have to see the face on Argentinean Brian Dabul. Ok, under any other circumstances and perhaps except for one other player in the professional circuit, Dabul’s long volley would have been a winner. But Federer was able to run back, not only pull-off such a difficult stun as a tweener, but yet, turn it into a winning point. There was a face of hopelessness and perhaps awe in Dabul’s face when the camera makes its close-up. One can’t help but to feel sympathetic for the guy.

On his second round match, Federer Breezed by Andreas Beck with a 6-3,6-4,6-3. He was playing in the Arthur Ashe Stadium at the very warm and somewhat humid day. Sure, he has struggled since the Australian Open. Sure, there have been to early 4th round losses in both Wimbledon and Roland Garros. And yeah, we know what it meant for him to loose at England.

Sure, at Roland Garros he had to play in clay (which is by no means his forte) but also three of his four games were played under the rain. But then came a couple of injuries, and quite frankly a lot of inconsistency. He has had some success after his experience with new personal coach Paul Annacone. Yes, 16 came easy. He played some of his bets tennis over at Australia to win his 16th Grand Slam title. He has the focus and the motivation, and we know, he sure is got the talent to win this tournament. 17 is a lucky number. Nadal is out there too. But let’s face it, at Flushing Meadows Nadal has not been a solid contender.

One last detail before we go. The Argentinean who defeated him last year in the final is not. The road is not wide open for Federer. But he sure knows were it leads to, and how to get there. He’s been at that final 6 years in a row.

NFL First Round Quarterbacks Go Bust More Than Boom

By Robert Ferringo

I am a huge believer in sitting rookie quarterbacks and letting them learn. And I don’t see the argument for the other side. There have been players that have been exceptions. Ben Roethlisberger, Flacco, Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez come to mind. But what did all of them have in common? You guessed it: they were fortunate enough to be drafted by teams that had dominating offensive lines, exceptional running games and outstanding defenses. And what is overlooked is that with the exception of Ryan (who, admittedly, didn’t have a

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