Zvonareva Hanging Tough in Year-End Party Bid

Russian Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva, known for breaking into tears in the middle of big matches, is showing surprising resilience this week at the WTA stop in Linz in an effort to sneak into the eight-woman WTA Championship field.

On Thursday the No. 4-seeded Russian defeated veteran Nathalie Dechy in straight sets to gain the quarterfinals and a chance to gain on Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati, who are also seeking a year-end qualification.

Other seeds into the Linz quarterfinals Thursday were (1) Amelie Mauresmo (d. (LL) Domachowska), (6) Ai Sugiyama (d. Hantuchova), and un-seeds Jelena Jankovic (d. (WC) Barbara "Don't Give a" Schett) and American Meghann Shaughnessy (d. Schruff).

"I am pretty pleased with this -- my first match in two and a half weeks," Mauresmo said. "The leg felt good, just a little tight, but that's normal. I'm pleased to get through this one and the next match will also be a good test. That's what I need right now are matches."

Friday's quarterfinals line up as Zvonareva vs. Jankovic, Mauresmo vs. Sugiyama, Bovina vs. Jidkova in an all-Russian, and Shaughnessy vs. Petrova.