Second Service: Nadal cut after crucial win

 By Adrian Humphries 2:30PM 24 JAN 2011 BOOKMAKERS felt Rafael Nadal took a huge step towards regaining the Australian Open crown on Monday when he swept aside Marin Cilic 6-2 6-4 6-3 to advance to the last eight in Melbourne.

Cilic had beaten Nadal 6-1 6-3 in China in 2009 and the world No. 1 was well aware of the potential danger the Croat provided to his chance of holding all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.

However, Nadal produced a sterling performance against Cilic, slowing down the pace of the match, and his reward is a clash against inferior fellow Spaniard and friend David Ferrer.

Nadal was no bigger than 6-4, and as short as evens, for the title after his win while second seed Roger Federer drifted to 23-10 after his great rival progressed.

A Nadal v Federer final, which was 13-8 before the tournament started, is now 6-5 with Paddy Power, while Bet365 go just 10-11.

Britain’s Andy Murray can never have enjoyed an easier path through a Grand Slam tournament. The world No. 5 was cut to 9-2, having been 8-1, after easing past Jurgen Melzer 6-3 6-1 6-1 just after his scheduled quarter-final opponent Robin Soderling was upset 1-6 6-3 6-1 4-6 6-2 by Alexandr Dolgopolov.

US Open champion Kim Clijsters was tops at 6-4 to claim a first Aussie Open singles crown after surviving a tough test against Eastbourne heroine Ekaterina Makarova, whom she beat 7-6 6-2.

Australian Open best outright prices before last night’s play – men: 6-4 R Nadal, 23-10 R Federer, 9-2 A Murray, 7 N Djokovic, 45 T Berdych, 66 S Wawrinka, 125 A Dolgopolov, D Ferrer; women: 6-4 K Clijsters, 4 C Wozniacki, 11-2 Na Li, 6 V Zvonareva, 12 P Kvitova, 20 A Petkovic, 50 F Schiavone, 100 A Radwanska.

FacebookDeliciousDiggStumbleUpon   TOP STORIES Grant looking to boost job prospects by keeping Hammers' run going 7:37pm 25 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer still 2-1 despite hammering Wawrinka 1:00pm 25 Jan 2011 Road kings Green Bay 8-11 Bowl favourites 4:45pm 24 Jan 2011 2:30pm 24 Jan 2011 Leinster 5-2 for second Heineken win after kind draw 9:23pm 23 Jan 2011 Kaymer rises in rankings after Abu Dhabi success 9:10pm 23 Jan 2011 Australia whitewash 8-1 after Sydney ODI-stroll 8:34pm 23 Jan 2011 Baggies defeat sees Di Matteo cut to get sack 8:26pm 23 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer stays at 7-4 after four-set Robredo success 1:38pm 23 Jan 2011 City out to 15-2 for title after defeat at Villa Park 7:41pm 22 Jan 2011 Show All Current Stories LATEST STORIES Grant looking to boost job prospects by keeping Hammers' run going 7:37pm 25 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer still 2-1 despite hammering Wawrinka 1:00pm 25 Jan 2011 Road kings Green Bay 8-11 Bowl favourites 4:45pm 24 Jan 2011 2:30pm 24 Jan 2011 Leinster 5-2 for second Heineken win after kind draw 9:23pm 23 Jan 2011 Kaymer rises in rankings after Abu Dhabi success 9:10pm 23 Jan 2011 Australia whitewash 8-1 after Sydney ODI-stroll 8:34pm 23 Jan 2011 Baggies defeat sees Di Matteo cut to get sack 8:26pm 23 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer stays at 7-4 after four-set Robredo success 1:38pm 23 Jan 2011 City out to 15-2 for title after defeat at Villa Park 7:41pm 22 Jan 2011 Show All Current Stories FOOTBALL Grant looking to boost job prospects by keeping Hammers' run going 7:37pm 25 Jan 2011 Baggies defeat sees Di Matteo cut to get sack 8:26pm 23 Jan 2011 City out to 15-2 for title after defeat at Villa Park 7:41pm 22 Jan 2011 Qatar World Cup 3-1 to be held during winter 5:43pm 20 Jan 2011 Arsenal in to 5-1 for Cup after despatching Leeds 10:49pm 19 Jan 2011 Adam 8-11 for January switch 5:41pm 20 Jan 2011 Citizens 7-1 for title after scraping past Wolves 7:52pm 15 Jan 2011 200-1 for no giants to fall 10:56pm 7 Jan 2011 Roy 1-2 to have bossed his last Reds league game 10:51pm 6 Jan 2011 Turmoil continues for Liverpool and Chelsea 10:14pm 5 Jan 2011 Show All Current Stories GOLF Kaymer rises in rankings after Abu Dhabi success 9:10pm 23 Jan 2011 Favourite Ogilvy now a doubtful Hyundai starter 1:18pm 6 Jan 2011 CRICKET Australia whitewash 8-1 after Sydney ODI-stroll 8:34pm 23 Jan 2011 Marvellous Marsh spearheads Australia victory 12:50pm 21 Jan 2011 England 8-11 for Ashes treble after SCG stroll 10:45pm 7 Jan 2011 England 1-12 to wrap-up SCG win in morning 1:52pm 6 Jan 2011 TENNIS Second Service: Federer still 2-1 despite hammering Wawrinka 1:00pm 25 Jan 2011 2:30pm 24 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer stays at 7-4 after four-set Robredo success 1:38pm 23 Jan 2011 Second Service: Saturday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open 1:44pm 22 Jan 2011 Second Service: Thursday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open 1:44pm 20 Jan 2011 Second Service: Wednesday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open 2:50pm 19 Jan 2011 Updates and betting news from the Australian Open 1:39pm 21 Jan 2011 RUGBY Leinster 5-2 for second Heineken win after kind draw 9:23pm 23 Jan 2011 OTHER SPORTS Road kings Green Bay 8-11 Bowl favourites 4:45pm 24 Jan 2011 Rocket still 9-2 for world title after Power win 11:49pm 31 Oct 2010 Froch retains title with scrappy win 11:56am 18 Oct 2009 Specialist road racers should shine at Infineon 8:34am 21 Jun 2009 Roush stable has pedigree to tame Nascar's Monster Mile 12:12pm 31 May 2009 Search our News Archive Sport News RSS Feed All Racing Post RSS Feeds Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Download our iPhone app

Second Service: Wednesday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open

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Second Service: Thursday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open

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Fair Along chasing second John Smith's success

Fair Along: will bid to start his season with a win at Wetherby again

  PICTURE: Martin Lynch  Fair Along chasing second John Smith's win By Peter Scargill 3:20PM 21 OCT 2010 FAIR ALONG returns to action at Wetherby on October 30 when he bids for a second successive victory in the Grade 2 John Smith's Hurdle.

Trained by Philip Hobbs for owner Alan Peterson, the eight-year-old slammed five rivals by 18 lengths in the 3m1f contest last season but was unable to add to his victory in three subsequent outings.

Hobbs, who suggested Fair Along may go chasing again in his recent Racing Post Stable Tour, said on Thursday: "The plan is for Fair Along to go to Wetherby again. He is fine and in really good order at the moment, so we are looking forward to going there with him.

"He was entered in the Cesarewitch on the Flat last week but we thought that, at his age, he didn't really need to be doing that, so we gave it a miss and kept him fresh.

 "It was a great thrill last year when he won the John Smith's Hurdle the way he did. It is the race in the calendar when the conditions are all more or less right for him, so he will go there again and he should run another good race."

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