Verdasco, Robredo ease into Bastad quarters

Tennis Betting Lines

07/15/2010 - Bastad, Sweden (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco and two-time champion Tommy Robredo of Spain were among Thursday's second- round winners at the Swedish Open. Fourth-seeded Nicolas Almagro was also a Spanish victor here on Day 4.

The southpaw Verdasco reached the quarterfinals here for a third straight year by drilling France's Stephane Robert 6-1, 6-1, while a fifth-seeded Robredo came from behind to beat Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on the red clay at Bastad Tennis Stadium. Verdasco and Robredo will square off in an all- Spanish quarterfinal showdown on Friday.

Robredo is seeking his third title here in five years, having won Bastad championships in 2006 and 2008.

Almagro, meanwhile, handled veteran Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 6-4 to setup a round-of-eight affair with Croatian qualifier Franco Skugor, a 6-2, 6-3 winner against Swedish qualifier Ervin Eleskovic. The 22-year-old Skugor will appear in his first-ever ATP-level quarterfinal on Friday.

The other quarters will pit top-seeded Swedish stalwart Robin Soderling against Italian Andreas Seppi and third-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer versus Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas. The reigning Bastad titlist and two-time French Open runner-up Soderling topped Argentine Juan Monaco in last year's finale here. Ferrer, who leads the ATP with 30 clay-court wins this season, was the Bastad titlist in 2007.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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