Only One Seed Still Standing in Strasbourg
Published May 20, 2009 12:00
STRASBOURG, France - No.3 seed Peng Shuai is the only seed left after three days of play at the upset-ridden Internationaux de Strasbourg. And even she didn't have an easy time, as she had to save two set points down 6-4 in the second set tie-break to Pauline Parmentier before prevailing, 63 76(6).
The two seeds that were eliminated Wednesday were Anabel Medina Garrigues and Gisela Dulko. The top-seeded Medina Garrigues, champion here in 2005, 2007 and 2008, retired with a low back injury after losing the first set, 6-4, to Kristina Barrois. The fourth-seeded Dulko was up 64 52, had three match points at 5-4 in the second set and was up 3-0 in the third set before succumbing to Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro, 46 76(5) 64.
Also advancing to the quarterfinals were Aravane Rezai, who defeated Anastasiya Yakimova a round after upsetting No.2 seed Sybille Bammer; Lucie Hradecka, who handled Alla Kudryavtseva; Ayumi Morita, who edged Julie Coin; Monica Niculescu, who got past fellow qualifier Yuliya Beygelzimer a round after disposing of No.7 seed Anna-Lena Groenefeld; and qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova, who topped Stéphanie Foretz a round after knocking off No.5 seed Tamarine Tanasugarn.
All four quarterfinals will be played Thursday, with Peng squaring off with Morita, Barrois with Hradecka, Kutuzova with Cohen-Aloro and Niculescu with Rezai. Morita, Barrois, Kutuzova and Niculescu are all seeking their first career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour semifinal appearances.
