Estoril Open 2003 News and Events

Magui Serna
© João Lagos Sports

Top seed Katarina Srebotnik was sent crashing out of the Estoril Open after going down 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to German qualifier Julia Schruff, ranked No. 238 on the WTA Tour.

Srebotnik, who won the title in Estoril four years ago, seemed to have regained control of the match in the second set, leading 4-0 before taking it into a decider. But the German had other ideas, winning her fifth consecutive match at the Estadio Nacional to reach her first quarterfinal on the WTA Tour.

"I'm a little bit surprised," said Schruff. "I was very nervous in the third set, but I'm looking forward to the quarterfinal."

Srebotnik, who was looking to claim her third title on the WTA Tour, said: "I'm very disappointed. I didn't play very good tennis today, but all credit to her, she played well."

In the quarterfinals, Schruff will meet Ludmila Cervanova of the Slovak Republic.

There was better news for defending champion Magui Serna on Thursday after she defeated Hungary's Petra Mandula to claim her place in the quarterfinals.
Serna, the No. 2 seed, recorded a 7-5, 6-0 victory and will now meet Stephanie Cohen Aloro, the French woman who defeated Spain's Maria Sanchez Lorenzo in three sets on court Central.

Elsewhere, lucky loser Gisella Dulko enjoyed another stroke of fortune when her opponent, No. 5 seed Henrieta Nagyova of the Slovak Republic, retired with a left adductor strain while trailing 5-1 in the first set. Dulko, who lost to Arantxa Parra in the final round of qualifying, will now meet Virginie Razzano, the No. 3 seed, in the last eight.