Kuznetsova Opens Successful Campaign at WTA Moscow
Posted on October 12, 2005Russian No. 8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, still in search of her first 2005 title, began her campaign on the right foot Tuesday at the WTA stop in Moscow, rolling past Swiss qualifier Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-0, 6-4.
"It was an easy match," Kuznetsova said. "I lost concentration in the fourth game of the second set and allowed her to break me but I never lost control of the match."
The 2004 US Open champion, Kuznetsova's last final was in May at Warsaw, losing in three sets to Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Qualifiers posted a 2-1 record on the day, with Aussie Sam Stosur straight-setting No. 7-ranked countrywoman Alicia Molik and Bulgarian teen Sesil Karatantcheva giving up only three games against Jelena Jankovic, but qualifier Iveta Benesova came up short in straight sets against Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone.
Other un-seeds into the second round were Italy's Flavia Pennetta (d. Dechy), German Anna-Lena Groenefeld (d. (LL) Razzano from a set down), Russian Dinara Safina (d. Farina Elia), and Czech Kveta Peschke (d. (WC) Linetskaya).
Working on Wednesday in Moscow are Pierce vs. Pennetta, Myskina vs. Maleeva, Sharapova vs. Groenefeld, Kirilenko vs. Zvonareva in an all-Russian, and Likhovsteva vs. Schnyder.
"It was an easy match," Kuznetsova said. "I lost concentration in the fourth game of the second set and allowed her to break me but I never lost control of the match."
The 2004 US Open champion, Kuznetsova's last final was in May at Warsaw, losing in three sets to Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Qualifiers posted a 2-1 record on the day, with Aussie Sam Stosur straight-setting No. 7-ranked countrywoman Alicia Molik and Bulgarian teen Sesil Karatantcheva giving up only three games against Jelena Jankovic, but qualifier Iveta Benesova came up short in straight sets against Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone.
Other un-seeds into the second round were Italy's Flavia Pennetta (d. Dechy), German Anna-Lena Groenefeld (d. (LL) Razzano from a set down), Russian Dinara Safina (d. Farina Elia), and Czech Kveta Peschke (d. (WC) Linetskaya).
Working on Wednesday in Moscow are Pierce vs. Pennetta, Myskina vs. Maleeva, Sharapova vs. Groenefeld, Kirilenko vs. Zvonareva in an all-Russian, and Likhovsteva vs. Schnyder.