The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Top-seed Zvonareva out of Pattaya Open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 08, 2006

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Top-seed Zvonareva out of Pattaya Open

PATTAYA: Former World No. 1 doubles player Paola Suarez of Argentina romped to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Vera Zvonareva on Tuesday, vanquishing the Russian top seed in just 68 minutes in the first round of the $170,000 Pattaya Open at the Dusit Resort Hotel.

The Argentine veteran — who topped the doubles ranking in 2002 and reached her highest singles ranking of 9 in 2004 — avenged a loss to the World No. 33 Russian in the first round of the ASB Woman's Classic in Auckland last month.

Meanwhile, third-seeded Catalina Castano of Columbia dismissed Anastassia Rodionova of Russia 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Safina on song

In Paris, seventh-seeded Russian Dinara Safina got off to a winning start in her bid to defend her title at the $600,000 indoor Open Gaz De France, when she scored a straight sets 6-2, 6-1 win over compatriot Anna Chakvetadze.

The results (first round):

At Pattaya (Pattaya Open): Sybille Bammer (Aut) bt Suchanan Viratprasert (Tha) 6-3, 6-3; Paola Suarez (Arg) bt Vera Zvonareva (Rus) 6-1, 6-3; Ekaterina Bychkova (Rus) bt Henrieta Nagyova (Svk) 6-1, 7-5; Catalina Castano (Col) bt Anastassia Rodionova (Rus) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Jelena Kostanic (Cro) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukr) 6-1, 6-3; Aleksandra Wozniak (Can) bt Na Li (Chn) 6-3, 6-1.

At Paris (Gaz De France Open): Stephanie Foretz (Fra) bt Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Ger) 6-1, 1-6, 6-0; Emilie Loit (Fra) bt Roberta Vinci (Ita) 6-2, 6-1, Dinara Safina (Rus) bt Anna Chakvetadze (Rus) 6-2, 6-1. — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail