Qualifiers Scatter Seeds In Zurich

It was moving day in Zurich as qualifiers sent seeds packing.
 
Anna Chakvetadze continued a recent rash of opening-round misery as Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu handed the seventh-seeded Russian her fifth opening-round loss in her last six tournaments, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
 
The 21-year-old Niculescu will play Victoria Azarenka in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Chakvetadze, who started the season with such promise in winning the Paris Indoors, looked utterly confused in suffering her ninth opening-round exit. A disconsolate Chakvetadze was at a loss to explain her slump and admitted she's looking forward tot he end of the season.
 
"There is no reason. I don't know the reason. I wish I did," said Chakvetadze. "If you can't beat a player who plays tennis of this quality I don't know who you can beat. I'm looking forward to the end of the season and a good break."
 
Czech qualifier Petra Kvitova spoiled Swiss Patty Schnyder's homecoming to the tournament she won in 2002. The 57th-ranked Czech pulled the plug on Schnyder's 14th consecutive main draw appearance with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory. Kvitova, 18, will face either fellow qualifier Sofia Arvidsson or Austria's Sybille Bammer in the round of 16.
 
Schnyder appeared to be in command when she built a 3-0 lead in the third set, permitting just one point in the process, but the left-handed Kvitova began to find the range on her groundstrokes and roared back to win six of the final games and seal her first WTA Tour main draw victory since the Rogers Cup in August.
 
"It was a strange match," said Schnyder. "Returning a lefty serve gave me a lot of trouble and she went for so much, making a lot of mistakes two or three games in a row and then hitting just winners. It was a matter of staying in the points and making it as difficult as I could, but sometimes it wasn't enough."
 
Italy's Francesca Schiavone stopped Caroline Wozniacki, 7-6(3), 6-2, to set up a round of 16 meeting with Maria Kirilenko, who took down eighth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, 7-5, 6-2, on Monday.
 
Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues was a 6-2, 6-4 victor over Nal Li. Medina Garrigues meets fourth-seeded Vera Zvonareva, the Moscow finalist, for a place in the quarterfinals.
 
Marion Bartoli thrashed Agnes Szavay, 6-4, 6-0 and fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska routed Russian qualifier Vera Dushevina, 6-4, 6-1.

Go Back