Grosjean, Gicquel make for all-French final in Lyon

Tennis Betting Lines

10/27/2007 - Lyon, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Frenchmen will square off for an ATP title on their home soil, as veteran Sebastien Grosjean and Marc Gicquel advanced to Sunday's final at the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix.

Gicquel came out on top in a marathon match against Colombian qualifier Alejandro Falla 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7). The Frenchman will play in his second career ATP final, with the other coincidentally coming last year in Lyon.

Falla fell just short of advancing to his first career final despite a magical ride through the draw. The qualifier had never reached an ATP quarterfinal, and this week marked just the second time he had won back-to-back matches at an ATP main draw.

Grosjean disposed of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in much easier fashion, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 victory in just 53 minutes. Like Falla, Tsonga was competing in his first ATP semifinal and it showed against the wily veteran.

Sunday's final will cap a wild week at Lyon.

The entire draw was turned upside-down in the opening round. Top seed American Andy Roddick and second seed Tommy Robredo dropped early matches and No. 3 Tommy Haas withdrew before the event began.

The winner of Sunday's final will take home $138,000.

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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.

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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.

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