Pennetta eases into Palermo quarters

Tennis Betting Lines

07/14/2010 - Palermo, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending champion and top seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy was an easy second-round winner Wednesday at the $220,000 Palermo International tennis tournament.

Pennetta handled Czech Renata Voracova 6-0, 6-3 in only 55 minutes on the red clay at Country Time Club. The world No. 12 Pennetta beat Sara Errani in last year's all-Italian final here and was the Palermo runner-up back in 2004.

The 28-year-old Pennetta's quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be Spanish qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives, who took out ninth-seeded Italian Alberta Brianti 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 on Day 3.

Veteran American Jill Craybas fought back to stun Wimbledon semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday. The diminutive 36-year-old Craybas is only 5-foot-3 but is one of the fittest players on the WTA Tour.

The Bulgarian Pironkova, seeded fourth this week, appeared in her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal two weeks ago at the storied All England Club.

Meanwhile, eighth-seeded German Julia Goerges grounded Italian qualifier Corinna Dentoni 6-4, 6-3 to setup a quarterfinal affair with the age-defying Craybas.

On Thursday, second-seeded Aravane Rezai and a third-seeded Errani will play their second-rounders. The French Rezai is fresh off her clay-court championship in Bastad. Errani is seeking her third straight trip into the Palermo final, having titled here in 2008 and lost to Pennetta in last year's championship tilt.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards