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WTA Tour Wednesday Wrap: Dementieva enters Paris Quarters, Mirza falls at first hurdle in Pattaya

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elena_dementieva_1.jpgIt was a mixed day for the seeds across the two events on the WTA Tour on Wednesday. The $700,000 OPEN GDF SUEZ lost two of five seeds in action today, while the $220,000 PTT PATTAYA OPEN lost four of seven. Some rare survivors today included the big two in Paris, Elena Dementieva and Flavia Pennetta, while Pattaya City saw two crowd favourites go out, while their number one star pulled off a shock win.

Elena Dementieva and Flavia Pennetta, recipients of first round byes in Paris entered the last eight with routine second round wins over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Alisa Kleybanova respectively. Dementieva, last year's losing finalist had to quell a late second set burst from compatriot Pavlyuchenkova before prevailing 6-4, 6-4, while Pennetta faced more of a challenge in the opening set from another Russian Kleybanova, winning 7-6(4), 6-1.  Joining them in the quarter-finals was Italian Tathiana Garbin, who upset 8th seed Elena Vesnina 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

In a couple of delayed first round matches, 19-year old Croatian Petra Martic shocked 3rd seed Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.  Escaping the upset bug was 5th seed Aravane Rezai, who beat qualifier Evgeniya Rodina 6-4, 6-4. Martic next meets Hungarian Agnes Szavay, while Rezai takes on Germany's Andrea Petkovic. The highlight of the action tomorrow however should be the battle of the ages as young American Melanie Oudin takes on veteran Swiss star Patty Schnyder in the last match of the day.

Over in lovely Pattaya City, the seeds were wearing huge bulls eyes on their back and falling like nine-pins in the process. Seventh seed Kimiko Date Krumm was the first big name player to fall when she withdrew from her match with young Anastasia Rodionova due to an ankle injury. Rodionova, who recently acquired Australian citizenship, was leading 6-1, 1-0 at the time of Krumm's retirement.

Another first round loser was 6th seed Sania Mirza, last year's losing finalist. Her dreams of going one better this year were laid to rest at the very first hurdle by Tatjana Malek of Germany. Sania won the opening set 6-3 and was up 4-2 in the second before a characteristic loss of momentum and an abundance of errors cost the Indian no.1 dear. Malek rattled off four games in a row to level the match at a set a piece before coasting to a 6-3 win in the final set courtesy of breaking the Mirza serve on no less than four occasions.

In second round action local legend Tamarine Tanasugarn rolled back the clock to pull off a stunning 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win over 2nd seed Sabine Lisicki. Lisicki also had a 4-2 lead in the decider, but Tanasugarn hung in to win 5 of the next 6 games and book a place in the last eight. Joining Tanasugarn in the quarters is Sesil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan, a surprisingly easy 6-2, 6-1 winner against 8th seed Julia Georges.

The three ladies to survive were 3rd seed Vera Dushevina who beat Galina Voskoboeva 6-4, 6-2, 5th seed Sybille Bammer who downed Marina Erakovic 7-6(8), 7-5 and 4th seed Yaroslava Shvedova a victor over Chanelle Scheepers 7-6(8), 6-3. The first two ladies advanced to the second round, while Shvedova has made it through to the quarter-finals.

Wednesday's Scores:

OPEN GDF SUEZ, Paris-FRA

Singles - Second Round
(1) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 64 64
(2/WC) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 76(4) 61
Tathiana Garbin (ITA) d. (8) Elena Vesnina (RUS) 64 26 62

Singles - First Round
(WC) Petra Martic (CRO) d. (3) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 64 36 75
(5) Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (Q) Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 64 64

PTT PATTAYA OPEN, Pattaya City-THA

Singles - Second Round
Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) d. (2) Sabine Lisicki (GER) 63 36 75
(4) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d. Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 76(8) 63
Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) d. (8) Julia Goerges (GER) 62 61

Singles - First Round
(3) Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 64 62
Tatjana Malek (GER) d. (6) Sania Mirza (IND) 36 64 63
(5) Sybille Bammer (AUT) d. Marina Erakovic (NZL) 76(8) 75
Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) d. (7) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 61 10 retd.

File Photograph Copyright: Brianna

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