10/17/2008 - Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and former top- ranked star Roger Federer were a pair of quarterfinal winners Friday at the $2.78 million Madrid Masters -- the eighth of nine Masters Series events this year.
The reigning Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion Nadal got past fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4 on Day 6 here.
The 2005 Madrid titlist Nadal can clinch the year-end No. 1 ranking with a trip into the final this weekend. Federer has finished atop the ATP rankings the last four years.
The second-seeded Federer dropped ninth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-3 on the indoor hardcourt here. Del Potro fired 12 aces at Federer, including 11 in the opening set, but the super Swiss neutralized the tall South American with a slice serve on the fast surface at Madrid Arena.
"The slice goes nicely on this court," Federer said. "I felt good using it to counter Juan Martin's height."
The Swiss great extended his current winning streak to 11 matches. The 20- year-old Del Potro has been one of the hottest players on tour over the past few months.
The 13-time major champion Federer was last year's Madrid runner-up to Argentine David Nalbandian and captured this tournament in 2006.
On Thursday, Federer became the all-time prize money leader on the ATP, surpassing Pete Sampras with more than $43.317 million in career earnings.
Federer's semifinal opponent on Saturday will be fourth-seeded Brit Andy Murray, who lost to Federer in last month's U.S. Open final. Murray mauled French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils, a runner-up in Vienna last week, 6-2, 6-2 on Friday.
The 2008 Madrid titlist will collect $490,000.
<< New York must continue playoff drive without 2 top defenders
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Red Bulls will have to
continue their drive for a spot in the 2008 Major League Soccer Cup playoffs
without two of their most influential defensive players when they host the
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<< TFC battling for playoff life vs. Fire
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto FC will still be clinging to its fading
hopes of making the 2008 Major League Soccer Cup playoffs when it hosts the
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Field.
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Kansas City, KA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Wizards host the San Jose
Earthquakes at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Saturday in a Major League Soccer
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The Wizards (9-10-9) are currently on the
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Sandy, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Salt Lake will be aiming to earn its first
win at its newly opened soccer-specific venue - Rio Tinto Stadium - when it
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Ajax set to rebound against Groningen >>
Amsterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Ajax took the field in
Eredivisie play they were soundly beaten, 5-2 by Heerenveen, leaving them with
just seven points from five games.
Manager Marco van Basten has taken plenty of hea
Dolphins LB Porter fined by NFL >>
Davie, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NFL on Friday fined Miami Dolphins linebacker
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Kings give D Greene five-year extension >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Greene
has signed a five-year extension that will keep him with the club through the
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The 25-year-old Greene is in his fir
Bears WR Lloyd, S Manning out Sunday >>
Lake Forest, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon
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Lloyd's knee has kept him out of Chicago's previous
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.
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