Chakvetadze stunned, Li keeps Chinese hope
23/10/2008 16:22
Russian second seed Anna Chakvetadze was upset in her second round match
by Czech Iveta Benesova yesterday afternoon 6-2, 6-4 at the Luxembourg
championships.
For the sixth time in her last six events, Chakvetadze wasn't
able to win back-to-back matches. She had lost first round in four of her last
five events, her only win coming at Beijing, coincidentally, against
Benesova.
As the No.2 seed this week, Chakvetadze made a strong start by
beating Mathilde Johansson in the first round, but was not able to continue that
momentum in her second round match at the Tier III event.
Benesova, currently
ranked No.42 in the world, moved into her seventh Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
quarterfinal of the season, a series of impressive runs that includes reaching
the final of Estoril and the semifinals of Forest Hills. Her win over the
No.12-ranked Chakvetadze was her third Top 20 win of the year, after previous
victories against Shahar Peer and Nicole Vaidisova.
The other seeds in second
round action were straight set winners. No.3 seed Daniela Hantuchova who routed
Sabine Lisicki, 6-0, 6-2 and No.4 seed Caroline Wozniacki beat Chinese Peng
Shuai, 6-4, 6-4.
No.6 seed Li Na kept the Chinese hopes alive by rallying
from quadruple set point in the first set tie-break to defeat Mariya Koryttseva
in an entertaining straight-setter, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 and No.8 seed Sorana Cirstea
dismissed Sara Errani, 6-4, 6-2.
The last three first round matches were also
played.
No.7 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues beat doubles partner Virginia Ruano
Pascual, 6-2, 6-1. Anna-Lena Groenefeld rallied from 5-1 down in the opening set
to beat wildcard Yanina Wickmayer, 7-5, 6-4 and in the last singles match of the
day, No.5 seed Amelie Mauresmo faced qualifier Stephanie Gehrlein, storming back
from losing the second set to win 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.
Xinhua
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