Kerber upsets Bartoli in Paris, wins first WTA title
Tennis Betting Lines
02/12/2012 - Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - German Angelique Kerber captured her first- ever WTA title by upsetting French crowd favorite Marion Bartoli in Sunday's final at the Open GDF Suez tennis event.
The ninth-seeded Kerber toppled the second-seeded Bartoli 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3 at Stade Pierre de Coubertin, as the 24-year-old German prevailed in 2 hours, 39 minutes. Kerber was the beneficiary of 10 double faults by a sloppy Bartoli.
Kerber is now 2-3 lifetime against the world No. 7 Bartoli, who was the Wimbledon runner-up in 2007.
The 27-year-old Bartoli dropped to 7-10 in her career finals, while the 27th- ranked Kerber improved to 1-1, with the loss coming in Bogota in 2010.
Kerber, who is the first German to win this tournament since the legendary Steffi Graf turned the trick back in 1995 and was a surprise U.S. Open semifinalist back in September, earned $107,000 this week.
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers and catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli agreed to terms on a one-year contract on Sunday. Per club policy, no terms of the deal were disclosed. The 30-year-old set career highs last year
<< PSV returns to Eredivisie summit
Eindhoven, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dries Mertens converted a penalty in
the 8th minute, Ola Toivonen and Tim Matavz added goals before the half hour,
and PSV Eindhoven beat De Graafschap, 4-1, to return to the Eredivisie summit
Sunday.
<< Blues activate McDonald
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues activated forward Andy
McDonald from injured reserve on Sunday.
McDonald has been out of action since suffering a concussion at the end of the
second period on October 13 in Dallas. He
<< Argentina tops Germany 4-1 to reach Davis Cup quarters
Bamberg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Argentina settled for a 4-1 victory over
host Germany in a best-of-five opening-round Davis Cup matchup.
The 2011 runner-up Argentines will host Croatia in a quarterfinal in April.
Argentina clinched
<< Liverpool's Suarez makes a bad situation worse
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manchester City's continued rise to prominence, Chelsea's
sudden decline and Tottenham's blistering form have each been major storylines
in the 2011-12 English Premier League season.
Yet racism has emerged as the hot-butto
Oviedo, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning champion Spain cruised into the Davis Cup quarterfinals with a 5-0 drubbing of visiting Kazakhstan this week. The best-of-five tie came to a close Sunday, with the Spaniards winning a pair of d
Lescott helps City regain EPL lead >>
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joleon Lescott scored the lone goal in
the 63rd minute, Joe Hart capped his 11th shutout with a brilliant one-handed
save in stoppage time, and Manchester City defeated Aston Villa, 1-0, at Villa
Park on
Hamburg leaves it late against Cologne >>
Cologne, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paolo Guerrero scored in the 88th minute
as Hamburg downed Cologne, 1-0, on Sunday at RheinEnergieStadion in the German
Bundesliga.
Guerrero was set up by Mladen Petric, and converted the lone goal of th
Melzer lifts Austria past Russia, into Davis Cup QFs >>
Wiener Neustadt, Austria (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jurgen Melzer was the hero on
Sunday, as he straight-setted Alex Bogomolov Jr. to propel Austria past
Russian and into its first Davis Cup quarterfinal since 1995.
The Austrians led b
Tipsarevic propels Serbs into Davis Cup quarters >>
Nis, Serbia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Serbia needed only one victory on Sunday
against Sweden, and world No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic did not waste any time
in the first reverse singles rubber as he helped the 2010 champions beat
Sweden
Problem with Bears?
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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