Estoril Open News and Events

Iveta Benesova

© JLS

Former Estoril Open finalist Iveta Benesova reached her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour quarterfinal of the year on Wednesday.

The Czech 2004 runner-up knocked out top-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-2 in 66 minutes to continue a fine run of form that includes back-to-back titles on the ITF Satellite circuit in recent weeks.

Former World No. 33 Benesova saved seven break point opportunities and will next face eighth-seeded Frenchwoman Camille Pin, who overcame Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 49 minutes.

Third-seeded Italian Karin Knapp, who lost to Justine Henin in the Antwerp final in February, advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Columbian qualifier Mariana Duque Marino I n82 minutes.

The 20-year-old will now meet Czech No. 6 seed Klara Zakopalova, who defeated knocked out Italian qualifier Corinna Dentoni 6-4, 6-1.

In the women’s doubles competition, top-seeded Flavia Pennetta and Maria Kirilenko advanced to a semifinal against Arina Rodionova and Olga Savchuk.

Pennetta and Kirilenko needed just 59 minutes to wrap up a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Darya Kustova and Marta Marrero, while Rodionova and Savchuk edged past fourth seeds Eva Hrdinova and Klaudia Jans 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 (Match TB).

Mervanna Jugic-Salkic and Ipek Senoglu defeated Alisa Kleybanova and Sandra Kloesel 6-3, 6-3 for their place in the last four.