Zvonareva cruises, Radswanka in WTA finale setback
Date published :
19 Oct 2011 - 20:35:37
Top-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva cruised into the Kremlin Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, but Agnieszka Radwanska was knocked out, dealing a major blow to the in-form Pole's hopes of reaching the WTA Championships.
Zvonareva, the world number five, enjoyed a 6-1, 6-1 win over Serb teenager Bojana Jovanovski in 64 minutes.
"I took into consideration all of the mistakes I made in my previous meeting with Jovanovski at this year's Australian Open," Zvonareva said.
"Bojana is young, quick and a very dangerous opponent. It was very important to give her no chance to find her rhythm."
The 27-year-old Zvonareva broke her rival's serve three times in the opening set to take it in 32 minutes.
In the second, Zvonareva underlined her domination on the hard courts of the Moscow Olympic indoor stadium, producing two more breaks to advance into the last eight, sealing her victory with an ace.
Second seed Radwanska, who enjoyed an opening-round bye, and arrived in Moscow buoyed by titles in Japan and China, crashed out as Czech Lucie Safarova recorded a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over the 22-year-old Radwanska.
Radwanska would have become the eighth qualifier for the WTA Championships in Istanbul later this month if she had won on Wednesday.
However, Marion Bartoli -- who is seeded No.4 here -- will take that spot if the Frenchwoman goes on to win the title in Moscow.
In a clash for a place in the semi-finals, Safarova will meet Russia's Vera Dushevina, who beat compatriot Nadia Petrova 6-2, 7-6 (7/3).
Italian fourth seed Francesca Schiavone, the 2009 champion, also joined the casualty list, losing 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (9/7) to Estonia's Kaia Kanepi.
In the ATP tournament, defending champion and second seed Viktor Troicki of Serbia experienced few troubles in his opening-round match against Spain's Pere Riba winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
Russia's fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, a three-time champion, ousted compatriot Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5, 6-2 and will next face Germany's Michael Berrer, who upset Italy's eighth seed Andreas Seppi 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
