Blake survives to reach Countrywide semifinals

Tennis Betting Lines

07/21/2007 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second seed James Blake edged fellow published author and countryman Vincent Spadea 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 to advance to the semifinals of the Countrywide Classic on Friday.

Blake, whose autobiography "Breaking Back" recently debuted at No. 22 in the New York Times Bestseller List, drilled 31 winners en route to the victory for only his second ATP-level win in eight attempts against Spadea, who recently authored "Break Point." The 27-year-old Blake is appearing in a tournament semifinal for the fourth time this year.

Blake will meet No. 7 Hyung-Taik Lee, who stunned former No. 1 and third- seeded Marat Safin 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. Lee, coming from down a break in the decisive set to tie the score at four-apiece, then converted his first of three match points on Safin's serve for the upset.

Lee failed to win a match during his first five event appearances in LA before improving his record with victories over Kevin Kim and Wesley Moodie.

The 2004 runner-up, German wild card Nicolas Kiefer also advanced, topping countryman Michael Berrer 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. Kiefer, appearing in his fourth tournament this season after getting sidelined for more than a year with a wrist injury, advanced to his first semifinal since the 2006 Australian Open, where he lost to Roger Federer.

A wild card entrant in his first hardcourt tournament in 16 months, Kiefer will face unseeded Radek Stepanek, who handled wild card Zack Fleishman 6-4, 6-2. Stepanek, who last May reached a career-high No. 8 in the ATP Rankings, snapped Fleishman's Cinderella run at his hometown tournament.

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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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