Teens Golovin, Karatantcheva Into Quarters at WTA Gold Coast

Posted on January 6, 2005

The WTA Tour teen machine was on overdrive Wednesday, highlighting the wave of the future on the Australian hardcourts at Gold Coast.

Advancing into the quarterfinals with gritty three-set victories were 15-year-old Bulgarian qualifier Sesil "The Mouth" Karatantcheva (d. (7) Likhovtseva 6-2, 0-6, 7-6(3)) and 15-year-old Frenchwoman-child Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin (d. Safina 6-2 in the third).

"The heat was just unbelievable," said Karatantcheva who struggled with the heat and humidity. "Sometimes you just had no oxygen. I felt like I couldn't breathe."

Also into the quarters Wednesday were (1) Nadia Petrova (d. N.Li), (2) Patty "Handshake" Schnyder (d. (Q) Haynes), and unseeded Italian Flavia "Of the Day" Pennetta (d. Pin in three).

"It's the first tournament of the year, but I love being in Australia and I love the conditions," said Schnyder, who last year reached the Aussie Open semis. "It's a great chance for me to go even further than last year."

On tap for Thursday are Petrova vs. Farina Elia, Stosur vs. Maleeva, The Mouth vs. Schnyder, and Pennetta vs. Golovin.