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Estoril Open News and Events
Top-seeded Czech Iveta Benesova spoiled the 26th birthday celebrations of Portuguese wild card Neuza Silva, who tested the World No. 31 at the Estoril Open on Monday before falling 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes.
Benesova, who also beat Silva 6-0, 6-2 in the 2008 first round, hit seven double faults and managed to save five of 12 break points in a closely-fought contest. Silva, currently No. 166 in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Rankings, dropped to 5-7 this year.
The 26-year-old Benesova is competing at the Estadio Nacional for the sixth straight year (10-3 record). She has finished runner-up on two occasions in 2004 (l. to Loit) and 2008 (l. to Kirilenko).
She has a 15-10 season record and will next meet Slovakian Jarmilia Groth who overcame Mathilde Johansson of France 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 in 89 minutes. The 22 year old Groth won 59 per cent of service points in the pair first meeting since 2005 Vittel, which Johansson won 6-4, 6-3, and improved to an 8-9 mark this year.
Watch Monday highlights of the Estoril Open
Eighth-seeded German Anna-Lena Groenefeld made a winning start to her second appearance in Estoril, when she beat Pauline Parmentier of France 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) in 87 minutes.
The World No. 57 improved to 9-9 on the year. She first appeared at the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour International Series clay-court tournament in 2004, battling through the qualification competition before losing in the second round (l. to Schett).
Groenefeld will next meet her compatriot and No. 77-ranked Kristina Barrois, who defeated Portuguese wild card Maria Joao Koehler 7-6(4) 6-0 in an evening match.
LARCHER DE BRITO GETS LUCKY LOSER SPOT
Despite losing in the final round of qualifier 16-year-old Portuguese hope Michelle Larcher de Brito has been awarded a spot in the main draw, following the withdrawal of Akiko Morigami of Japan due to a left knee injury. Lucky loser Larcher de Brito lost to Russian Elena Bovina 6-0, 6-2 in the qualifying round.
Bovina is joined in the main draw by fellow two Spanish qualifiers,
Eva Fernandez-Brugues and Silvia Soler
Espinosa, and Sharon Fichman of Canada.
Montanes Saves 2 M.P. To Clinch Title