The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Kirilenko bows out after epic battle

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Wednesday, Sep 27, 2006
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Kirilenko bows out after epic battle

Montanes of Spain ends a six-match losing streak

GRITTY CUSTOMER: Russia's Maria Kirilenko overcame breathing difficulties but couldn't conquer compatriot Vera Dushevina in a match that lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes. — PHOTO: AP

SEOUL: Second seed Maria Kirilenko crashed out of the Korea Open on Tuesday after a first round battle with fellow Russian Vera Dushevina.

Kirilenko, ranked 29th in the world, struggled in the first set and received medical attention after the fifth game for breathing difficulties.

She recovered to play for three hours and 19 minutes before Dushevina, ranked 82, triumphed 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 after being 4-2 down in the final set.

"I grew up with Maria and know her well so it's hard," Dushevina said. "It was one of the longest matches in my career but I feel good," she added.

Earlier in the day, third seed and World No. 24 Marion Bartoli of France eased past Jill Craybas of the United States in straight sets. Fifth seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia lost just three games in her victory over Camille Pin.

Baghdatis pulls out

Marcos Baghdatis withdrew from the Thailand Open before it started on Monday, as American Robby Ginepri advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen.

Second-seeded Baghdatis injured his right shoulder during a practice session on Friday and said it still hurt too much to serve.

Ginepri, seeded seventh, squandered a 5-2 lead in the second set and lost two games before closing out the match.

In other matches, Russia's Mikhail Ledovskikh beat Swedish qualifier Michael Ryderstedt 6-1, 7-6(7) and Britain's Alex Bogdanovic won a tough three-setter over Wang Yeu-Tzuoo of Taiwan 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-4.

Montanes advances

Albert Montanes of Spain ended a six-match losing streak since June on the main ATP tour when he advanced at the Palermo International at the expense of injured seventh seed Luis Horna of Peru. Horna quit with a right shoulder injury while trailing 5-2 in the first-round match.

Montanes, while mixing his season with challenger events, hadn't won on the main tour since the French Open.

Eighth-seeded Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo of Spain began his quest for a third semifinal this year by beating Alessio Di Mauro of Italy 7-6(7), 6-3.

The results (first round): At Bangkok (ATP Thailand Open): Mikhail Ledovskikh bt Michael Ryderstedt 6-1, 7-6(7); Robby Ginepri bt Kenneth Carlsen 6-3, 6-4; Alex Bogdanovic bt Wang Yeu-Tzuoo 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-4.

At Palermo (ATP Internazionali di Sicilia): Sergio Roitman bt Francesco Aldi 6-0, 6-1; Potito Starace bt Federico Luzzi 6-1, 6-2; Martin Vasallo Arguello bt Juan Pablo Guzman 2-6, 6-3, 7-5; Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo bt Alessio Di Mauro 7-6(7), 6-3; Albert Montanes bt Luis Horna 5-2 (retd.); Fabio Fognini bt Juan Antonio Marin 7-6(3), 6-3.

At Luxembourg (WTA Fortis Championships): Kveta Peschke bt Julia Schruff 7-5, 6-1; Samantha Stosur bt Anne Kremer 6-1, 6-4; Daniela Hantuchova bt Tatiana Golovin 7-6(1), 6-3.

At Guangzhou (WTA International Open): Anastasiya Yakimova bt Sun Shengnan 6-2, 6-1; Jelena Kostanic bt Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 6-4; Elise Tamaela bt Hao Jie 6-2, 7-5; Ren Jing bt María José Martínez Sánchez 6-3, 6-4; Alicia Molik bt Vania King 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5.

At Seoul (WTA Hansol Korea Championships): Vera Dushevina Kirilenko bt Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, Akiko Morigami bt Sofia Arvidsson 6-0, 6-4; Marion Bartoli bt Jill Craybas 6-4, 6-1; Anastassia Rodionova bt Marta Domachowska 6-4, 6-3; Paola Suárez bt Gisela Dulko 6-1, 6-3; Vera Zvonareva bt Camille Pin 6-1, 6-2; Virginia Ruano Pascual bt Lucie Safarova 7-5, 6-4. — Agencies

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