Ivanovic eases past injury-hit Petkovic

Former world number one registers straight sets win in Stuttgart.

STUTTGART: Ana Ivanovic needed just 72 minutes to see off Germany’s Andrea Petkovic in the first round of the Stuttgart’s WTA tournament.

The 25-year-old Serbian, who won the 2008 French Open title on her way to being world number one that June, enjoyed a 6-3, 6-2 first-round win against wildcard Petkovic who is on her way back after a series of injuries.

Petkovic was playing her first match since withdrawing mid-tournament in Charleston earlier this month due to a calf injury — and that was just her third tournament back from a knee injury earlier in the year.

The only seeded player in action, Nadia Petrova won a tight straight-setter against Germany’s match in Dinah Pfizenmaier. The Russian won 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 against the 21-year-old qualifier.

Raonic cruises into third round of Barcelona Open

Meanwhile, fifth-seed Milos Raonic edged past France’s Edourad Roger-Vasselin to advance into the third round of the Barcelona Open with a 6-4, 6-2 victory at Banc Sabadell.

The 22-year-old Canadian will now face Ernests Gulbis in his next match after breaking Roger-Vasselin to prevail in 70 minutes, according to the ATP World Tour.

In other matches, number 14-seed Grigor Dimitrov fell to Spain’s Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-1 in 79 minutes. Dmitry Tursunov defeated David Ferrer 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 to move forward in the tournament while Juan Monaco cruised past Bernard Tomic in straight sets 6-0, 6-2. Martin Klizan outplayed Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-4.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.