Schnyder Squeaks by Qualifier;Sharapova in Action Today at Doha

No. 5 seed Patty Schnyder was forced to work overtime Tuesday in the first round of play at the WTA stop in Doha, edging Chinese qualifier Na Li 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.

Unseeded players into the second round Tuesday were Aussie Nicole Pratt (d. (WC) Selima "S'close" Sfar), Russian qualifier Maria Kirilenko (d. (Q) Safarova), Japan's Ai Sugiyama ending a five-match losing streak in 2005 (d. (LL) Stosur), Slovak Daniela Hantuchova (d. Maleeva, coming from a set down and 0-3 in the third), Argentine Gisela "Sgt." Dulko (d. Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues in three), and former Wimbledon champ Conchita Martinez (d. (Q) Roberta "Da" Vinci, coming from a set down).

"I needed to change the pace of my shots. I was playing quite low in the beginning," said Martinez, who rebounded from the first-set loss to win 6-0, 6-2. "Only when I started mixing it up things began to happen in my favor."

On tap for Wednesday in Doha are Molik vs. Pratt in an all-Aussie, Dulko vs. Sharapova, Martinez vs. Myskina in a battle of slam winners, Mauresmo vs. Ivanovic in a battle of non-slam winners, Bovina vs. Hantuchova, Sugiyama vs. Schiavone, Kirilenko vs. Schnyder, and Bartoli vs. Kostanic.