Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray reach Cincy QFs

Tennis Betting Lines

08/19/2010 - Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 superstar Rafael Nadal, two-time runner-up Novak Djokovic and former champion Andy Murray recorded third-round victories, while reigning titlist Roger Federer entered the quarterfinals via walkover Thursday at the $3 million Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, a U.S. Open Series event.

Nadal survived a second-set tiebreak before getting past game Frenchman Julien Benneteau 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2. Benneteau swatted 12 aces, but also piled up 10 double faults and had his serve broken six times. The Frenchman did manage to break Nadal's formidable serve on five occasions in a losing effort.

The reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion Nadal is seeking his first trip to the final at this Cincy Masters event.

Up next for Nadal will be former Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, as the Cypriot toppled seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-4. Berdych was last month's Wimbledon runner-up to the amazing Nadal.

A third-seeded Federer had the day off after his scheduled third-round opponent, German Philipp Kohlschreiber, pulled out of the draw, citing a right shoulder injury.

The 16-time major titlist and former world No. 1 Federer has won three of the last five titles in Cincy (2005, 2007, 2009), including a victory over Djokovic in last year's finale.

The second-seeded world No. 3 Djokovic cooled off Argentine star David Nalbandian 6-1, 7-6 (9-7) in 1 hour 37 minutes, while a fourth-seeded Murray came from behind to best talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in just over 2 1/2 hours on the hardcourts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The oft-injured Nalbandian had won 13 of his previous 14 matches, including a quality title in Washington, D.C. two weeks ago.

Murray, who upset Federer in last week's blockbuster finale at the Canadian Masters event in Toronto and was this year's Australian Open runner-up to the Swiss icon, was the Cincinnati champ two years ago. The Brit's quarterfinal opponent will be surging American Mardy Fish.

Djokovic has played in the last two Cincy finals, losing to Federer here last year and Murray in '08.

The hot Fish handled former top-10 Frenchman Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-2 on Day 5. The wild card Fish, who has now won 14 of his last 15 matches, including titles in Newport and Atlanta, was the Cincinnati runner-up back in 2003.

The 2010 Cincinnati titlist will claim $443,500.

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.