07/06/2008 - Wimbledon, England (Tennis Betting) - Roger Federer's reign at Wimbledon is not yet over, as the five-time champion won a tiebreaker in the third set against Rafael Nadal to extend Sunday's final at the All England Club.
Nadal won the first two sets by identical 6-4 scores, but Federer captured the third-set tiebreaker 7-5 to send the match to a fourth set.
After Nadal rallied from a 1-4 deficit to win the second set, he needed treatment for what appeared to be a knee injury following the third game of the third set. Nadal then nearly had his serve broken. Federer gained a pair of break points, but Nadal hit a forehand winner to save the first then made a brilliant visual call on the next.
Federer hit a deep forehand that was ruled in and Nadal hit the return shot before stopping play to challenge the call. The ball was just long and Nadal went on to hold serve for 2-2.
Again Federer earned a pair of break points on Nadal's next service game, but squandered both -- the second on a second serve. Federer then missed a running forehand volley on his third break-point chance of the game and set up still another break chance with a blistering forehand down the line, but again blew it by netting a backhand on a second serve.
Nadal eventually held again for 3-3, then blew his own chance to break in the next game after winning the first three points. Federer regrouped and held serve.
With Federer ahead 5-4 in the third set, a lengthy rain delay ensued. Once play resumed, the set remained on serve and went to a tiebreaker.
Nadal opened a 2-1 lead, but Federer surged ahead by winning the next four points -- the last with a forehand winner for a 5-2 edge. It was 6-3 before Nadal won the next two points on his serve, but Federer closed out the set with an ace.
Rain also delayed the start of play for about 30 minutes.
Nadal gained a quick break of serve in the third game when Federer managed to put only one first serve into play. Federer, though, nearly broke right back. After falling behind 0-40, he rallied for a break point and hit a forehand long. Nadal eventually held serve to validate the break.
Each player held serve the rest of the way, although Nadal had trouble closing it out.
Federer had a couple of break chances in the 10th game, but failed to convert. After a perfect volley set up the first, he missed a backhand volley long. A backhand into the net on a second serve cost him another chance before Nadal finally held to win the set.
A sensational passing shot in the second game of the second set finally gave Federer a break of serve on the way to a 4-1 lead, but Nadal reeled off the next five games.
The momentum change came in the seventh game when Federer hit a forehand wide to set up a break point for Nadal, who converted when Federer rushed to the net and couldn't handle a Nadal passing shot.
Federer then had a chance to break right back in the next game, but sent a return of serve into the net and Nadal held to square the set at 4-4. Nadal then won the first three points of the ninth game and soon after hit a forehand winner to break serve again for 5-4.
Nadal blew a set point in the 10th game and a wind-forced error set up a break point for Federer, who netted a backhand. Nadal then gained another set point and Federer drilled another backhand into the net to give the Spaniard the commanding advantage.
Federer is trying for his sixth straight Wimbledon crown, while Nadal is trying for his first. Federer beat Nadal in each of the last two Wimbledon title matches.
<< Volquez leads Reds vs. Nationals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals will wrap up a
four-game series this afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
The Reds have won the first three tests of this series, including Saturday's
3-2 victory. Jerry Ha
<< Dodgers take on Giants in finale by the bay
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to stay within striking
distance of the top spot in the NL West division today, when they conclude a
three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
Los Angeles h
<< Phillies get another crack at Mets in South Philly
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies will try to rebound from last
night's loss when they resume a four-game set Sunday with the NL East-rival
New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies had their four-game winning st
<< Rain again delays men's final at Wimbledon
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The rain has returned to the All England
Club and the men's Wimbledon final is being delayed in the third set.
Rafael Nadal is trying to dethrone five-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer and
has a lead of
Marlins bring up top prospect Volstad >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins selected the contract of
top pitching prospect Chris Volstad from Double-A Carolina on Sunday.
Volstad, a 6-foot-7 right-hander, was the 16th overall pick by the Marlins in
the 2005 dra
Rangers' SS Young a late scratch >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young was a
late scratch for Sunday's contest against the Baltimore Orioles with an
ongoing left groin issue.
Young was replaced in the starting lineup by Ramon Vaz
Cards activate SS Izturis from DL, recall OF Mather >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals activated shortstop
Cesar Izturis from the 15-day disabled list Sunday and recalled outfielder Joe
Mather from Triple-A Memphis.
Izturis left a June 20, 5-4 Cardinals victory over
Rain again stops men's final at Wimbledon >>
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The rain has returned to the All England
Club and the men's Wimbledon final between five-time champion Roger Federer
and Rafael Nadal is being delayed in the fifth set.
The match is even at 2-2, 40-40
Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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