Federer, Murray reach third round in Madrid

Tennis Betting Lines

05/12/2009 - Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 superstar Roger Federer and U.S. Open runner-up Andy Murray were a pair of second-round winners Tuesday at the $5 million Madrid Open, an ATP World Tour Masters event.

The second-seeded 13-time major titlist Federer handled Swede Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-5, while a fourth-seeded Murray snuck past game Italian Simone Bolelli 7-6 (11-9), 6-4 on the red clay at the Magic Box.

The five-time reigning U.S. Open champion Federer captured the Madrid title in 2006 and was the runner-up here in 2007, when the event was held on an indoor hardcourt.

The three-time 2009 ATP titlist Murray, who beat Frenchman Gilles Simon in last year's indoor Madrid finale, will battle heavy Spanish crowd favorite Tommy Robredo in the round of 16.

In some other second-round play, seventh-seeded world No. 8 Fernando Verdasco whipped wild card, former world No. 1 and fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-2, while Croatian wild card Ivan Ljubicic upended ninth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 7-5 and a 16th-seeded Robredo came from behind to beat American Mardy Fish 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Ljubicic was a Madrid runner-up in 2005. The former French Open titlist Ferrero was a Madrid champion back in 2003.

The first round concluded with nine such matches here on Day 3, as 10th-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko, 13th-seeded Croat Marin Cilic and 14th-seeded American James Blake safely reached the round of 32. Davydenko drubbed Serbian Viktor Troicki 6-2, 6-2, while Cilic held off Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 and last week's Estoril runner-up Blake handled Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-2, 6-4.

Last week's surprise Estoril titlist, Spaniard Albert Montanes, came up an opening-round loser Tuesday at the hands of Austrian Jurgen Melzer, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Last week's Munich titlist, Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, remained red hot with a 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) victory over Spanish lucky-loser Guillermo Garcia- Lopez.

Additional first-round wins came for 6-foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic, Italians Andreas Seppi and qualifier Fabio Fognini, and Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.

The second round is scheduled to conclude with 11 matches on Wednesday, including ones for world No. 1 Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal, third-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic and sixth-seeded American newlywed Andy Roddick. Nadal will take on Melzer, seeking a 31st straight victory on his beloved red clay, while last week's Belgrade titlist Djokovic will encounter Spaniard Oscar Hernandez and the former world No. 1 Roddick will take on German Tommy Haas.

Roddick married model and fellow American Brooklyn Decker last month in a private ceremony in Texas and will play his first match since the wedding here on Wednesday.

The high-flying Nadal is the reigning Aussie Open, Wimbledon and French Open champ. The 2005 Madrid titlist is a staggering 147-6 on clay since '05.

Madrid, which was staged on an indoor hardcourt from 2002-08, now serves as a clay-court French Open tune-up.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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