Lisicki forced to fight by Vekic

Lisicki forced to fight by Vekic

Kuznetsova also advances in Pattaya

PATTAYA : Top seed Sabine Lisicki yesterday struggled past unseeded Donna Vekic of Croatia 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in the first round of the PTT Pattaya Open.

Top seed Sabine Lisicki in action during her victory over Donna Vekic at the Pattaya Open yesterday.

Lisicki won the first set but Vekic raced to a 4-0 lead in the second and went on to win 6-2.

Lisicki regrouped and won the deciding set to proceed to the second round of the US$250,000 tournament, where she will next face Andrea Hlavackova or Estrella Cabeza Candela.

Second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia also advanced to the second round after beating China's Zhang Shuai 6-0, 7-6 (3).

In yesterday's other first round matches, eighth seed Peng Shuai of China defeated Austria's Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6-1, 7-6 (1), and Romania Alexandra Dulgheru rallied to defeat Anastasia Rodionova of Australia 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Thai No.1 Luksika Kumkhum, who reached the second round at the Australian Open after stunning 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, will begin her campaign today against Germany's Julia Goerges.

"It will not be easy for me," Luksika said. "Although I beat Petra, that doesn't mean that I will beat any players in this tournament because each player has a different style of playing."

Two-time winner Vera Zvonareva today begins her bid for her third win in Pattaya when she takes on young Thai Peangtarn Plipuech.

The Russian is making a comeback after missing 18 months with an upper respiratory illness and a right shoulder injury.

It is the only third tournament since Wimbledon in 2012 for Zvonareva, who lost her opening matches in Shenzhen and at the Australian Open this month.

RESULTS

First Round: Peng Shuai (CHN) beat Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) 6-1, 7-6(1); Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) beat Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2); Sabine Lisicki (GER) beat Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Alison Riske (USA) beat Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 6-0, 6-0; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) beat Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-0, 7-6 (3)

Qualifying round: Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) beat Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-3, 6-3; Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) beat Duan Ying-Ying (CHN) 6-2, 7-5; Olga Savchuk (UKR) beat Sachie Ishizu (JPN) 6-0, 6-2

TODAY'S ORDER OF PLAY

Court 1: start 3pm

Luksika Kumkhum (THA) vs Julia Goerges (GER)

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) vs Peangtarn Plipuech (THA)

Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) vs Olga Savchuk (UKR)

Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) vs Sorana Cirstea (ROU)

Court 2: starts 3pm

Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) vs Nicha Lertpitaksinchai (THA)

Elena Vesnina (RUS) vs Vania King (USA)

Kimiko Date-Krumm(JPN) vs Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

Su-Wei Hsieh(TPE) vs Tadeja Majeric (SLO)

Court 3: starts 4pm

Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) vs Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)

Ajla Tomljanovic(CRO) vs Alla Kudryavtseva(RUS)

Darija Jurak (CRO)&Andreja Klepac (SLO) vs Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) & Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT