Estoril Open News and Events

Maria Kirilenko

© JLS

Top-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta recovered to beat Yvonne Meusburger of Austria 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 Tuesday for a place in the Estoril Open second round.  It was the pair’s first meeting since Zurich in 2004.

Pennetta converted seven of 11 break point opportunities to advance to a clash with Czech Iveta Benesova, a 6-0, 6-2 winner over Portuguese wild card Neuza Silva.

Pennetta improves to 6-4 at the tournament, having appeared at the European clay-court season opener for five consecutive years. In 2006 the 26-year-old lost to Jie Zheng in the semifinals.

Second-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko also suffered a few problems against Swiss qualifier Stefanie Vogele, who is ranked No. 206 in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Rankings.

Kirilenko, who is searching for her third career singles title, saved 14 break points to triumph 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-1 in two hours and 39 minutes.

She will next play Czech Petra Cetkovska who cruised past Russian Alisa Kleybanova 6-2, 6-2.

Belgian Kirsten Flipkens knocked out fourth-seeded Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4, while fifth-seeded Italian Tathiana Garbin edged Ukranian qualifier Yuliya Beygelzimer 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.

Eight-seeded Camille Pin of France, Sanda Mamic of Croatia and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine also won.

There were two women’s doubles matches on Tuesday, including fourth seeds Eva Hrdinova and Klaudia Jans beating Kelly Anderson and Rika Fujiwara 6-2, 4-6, 10-7 (Match TB).