Top Doubles Seeds Move Into Madrid Quarters

Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta advanced, while Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova survived a showdown with another hot duo.

Published May 03, 2011 08:38

Top Doubles Seeds Move Into Madrid Quarters
Gisela Dulko, Flavia Pennetta

MADRID, Spain - It was an action packed day on the doubles court at the Mutua Madrid Open, with five teams securing quarterfinal berths and the first round finishing up.

One of the intriguing first round encounters involved two of this year's most prolific teams, as eighth-seeded Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova took on Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina. The Czechs, with a record of 16-4 in 2011 entering Madrid, were fresh off their WTA-leading third title of the season in Barcelona. The Indian-Russian duo, with a record of 13-3, also were victorious in their last outing in Charleston, to go along with their first career title in Indian Wells in March. Mirza and Vesnina rebounded from a slow start on Tuesday to eliminate Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova, 36 61 102. They also beat them in their only previous match-up, in the round of 16 in Indian Wells. Next up for Mirza and Vesnina are Nadia Petrova and Anastasia Rodionova.

No.1 seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, runners-up here last year, were among those booking quarterfinal spots. They defeated Spaniards Nuria Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra Santonja, 75 62, in their first match since falling in the quarterfinals in Miami and will next play No.5 seeds Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko. No.2 seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik raised their record against Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska to 2-1 and avenged their first round loss to them at Indian Wells with a 62 16 103 triumph. No.3 seeds Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova had little trouble with Russian wildcards Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva, 63 61.

There was one second round upset, with Casey Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs upending fourth-seeded Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond, 64 63. Raymond and Stubbs have an illustrious history together, having won 33 titles, including three Grand Slams. They also have a fascinating doubles history against each other, with Raymond having won 22 of their 32 matches.

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