Seeds struggles into WTA third round
Thursday, 13 August 2009
CINCINNATI, Aug 12 (AFP): Russian top seed Dinara Safina rallied to reach the third round of a two million-dollar WTA hardcourt tournament Tuesday with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Italy's Roberta Vinci.
Safina's opponent will be either China's Peng Shuai, who ousted Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1, or Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who defeated Russian Vera Dushevina 6-4, 3-6, 6- 3.
Another Russian, sixth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, also struggled into the third round, outlasting Czech Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 7- 6 (7/4).
US third seed Venus Williams was set for a later second-round match against Belarus qualifier Olga Govortsova.
Second seed Serena Williams is on the opposite side of the draw from Safina and Venus, setting up the possibility of a finals showdown with either barely two weeks before the start of the US Open.
Safina's opponent will be either China's Peng Shuai, who ousted Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1, or Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who defeated Russian Vera Dushevina 6-4, 3-6, 6- 3.
Another Russian, sixth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, also struggled into the third round, outlasting Czech Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 7- 6 (7/4).
US third seed Venus Williams was set for a later second-round match against Belarus qualifier Olga Govortsova.
Second seed Serena Williams is on the opposite side of the draw from Safina and Venus, setting up the possibility of a finals showdown with either barely two weeks before the start of the US Open.