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 25th, 2013.
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 25th, 2013.