HOBART, Australia -- Mona Barthel of Germany extended her defence of the Hobart International title to the semifinals after beating Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday. Barthel will play Kirsten Flipkens next after the Belgian beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. Eighth-seeded Sloane Stephens advanced by downing fellow American and qualifier Lauren Davis 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 in the quarterfinals. Stephens will play Elena Vesnina of Russia in Fridays other semifinal. Vesnina played better in windy conditions to top wild card Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia 6-3, 6-2. "I had to be smart and in the wind you have to use it like a weapon," Vesnina said. Barthel said shes "improved a lot" since she won her first only WTA title as a qualifier in Hobart a year ago. "I feel like I learned so much last year, playing all these tournaments and against the top players," Barthel said. "My serve has got better and I feel like my groundstrokes are better ... but maybe a little more confidence this year." The final is scheduled for Saturday at the Domain Tennis Centre. coach factory outlet . -- Ryan Madson finalized a $3. coach outlet . -- The NFL has granted permission for Saints coach Sean Payton, general manager Mickey Loomis and assistant head coach Joe Vitt to attend New Orleans home game Sunday night against San Diego, in which Drew Brees can break a tie with Johnny Unitas for the NFL record of consecutive regular-season games with a touchdown pass. http://www.coach-factoryoutl... . "Our defence was embarrassing, pretty much from start to finish," Skiles said after Monta Ellis scored six of his 22 points in the final 2 minutes to help the Bucks hold off the New Orleans Hornets 117-113 on Saturday night for their third straight victory. [url=http://www.coach-factoryoutletstoreonline.com/]cheap coach handbags . But Henry defended the Fenway Sports Groups cautious approach to the summer transfer window, despite a 2-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday leaving Liverpool with just one point after three matches of the Premier League season. coach outlet online . It was the first career shutout for the 17-year-old goaltender and the victory snapped a seven-game losing skid for his club. “Through this whole stretch they have done everything we have asked them to do, except win,” Everett coach Mark Ferner said of the losses.READING, England -- Jermain Defoe capped a superb individual display with two well-taken goals in Tottenhams 3-1 win over Reading on Sunday, earning manager Andre Villas-Boas a relieving first Premier League victory at the club. The England striker was again preferred up front to Emmanuel Adebayor and justified the faith shown in him by Villas-Boas by opening the scoring in 18th minute and completing a convincing win with a fine solo effort in the 74th. Left winger Gareth Bale scored Spurs other goal, a scuffed finish in the 71st following good work by Kyle Walker down the right, but it was Defoe who will take all the plaudits after destroying Readings defence. "Jermain is showing his abilities, the amount of shots he has on target is amazing," Villas-Boas said. "As the lone striker up front, he is linking well with the colleagues." A first win of the season at the fourth time of asking lifts Spurs into mid-table and eases the pressure on Villas-Boas as the young Portuguese bids to restore his reputation at the London club following his disastrous eight-month spell at Chelsea. The only negative at the Madejski Stadium for Spurs was the injury-time goal conceded to Hal Robson-Kanu, ruining the clean sheet of veteran Brad Friedel after the American goalkeeper again started ahead of new signing Hugo Lloris. But Villas-Boas would otherwise have been delighted with Tottenhams fluidity in midfield which had Reading chasing shadows for much of the game. There was time, too, to give Clint Dempsey a late run-out as substitute for the United States forwards first appearance since signing from Fulham on deadline day. "It was a wwell-deserved win," Villas-Boas said.dddddddddddd "Everyone performed to their top level and it is a win that will lift us up for the season. "The most important thing today was the motivation of the players to change the negative results at home." Reading was also looking to claim a first win of the season after opening with a draw and a loss in its first campaign back in the top flight. But the hosts were up against it from the moment Defoe connected with a cutback from Aaron Lennon to sweep a well-placed finish into the bottom corner. Defoe, who now has three league goals this season as well as two in internationals with England, missed other good chances either side of the break and also set up Gylfi Sigurdsson for a gilt-edged opportunity that the Iceland midfielder saw cleared off the line in the 32nd. Bale made the game safe when he met a cross from walker with a right-footed shot that bounced into the ground and looped over Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. Three minutes later, Defoe dispossessed Kaspars Gorkss on the halfway line, charged past two other defenders on a 40-yard run before slipping a shot past McCarthy. The goal was welcomed with a fist pump on the sidelines by Villas-Boas, who could finally celebrate three points after throwing away winning positions late on against West Bromwich Albion and Norwich. "Today was a learning curve for all of us," Reading manager Brian McDermott said. "Spurs is a team full of world-class performers, but we didnt cause enough problems for them. "I thought we were too submissive and didnt get on the ball enough or in their faces." ' ' '