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Zvonareva Top Seed at Prague Open
Posted on April 27, 2008
PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Top 20 stars Vera Zvonareva and Shahar Peer are among 32 players heading to the Czech capital this week for the $145,000 ECM Prague Open, one of two events kicking off the European clay court season.
After making her second Tier I final of the year last week at Charleston, Zvonareva is as close as she has been to a Top 10 return in nearly three years, coming into the ECM Prague Open as the No.14-ranked player in the world and the top seed. With five Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles trophies to her name, Zvonareva is also one of the most accomplished players in this week's draw, and takes on a qualifier in her opener.
Peer, ranked No.18 in the world and with three Tour singles titles (including right here two years ago), will be the No.2 seed this week. Peer cracked the Top 20 on the 2006 year-end rankings and hasn't budged from the elite since, but is hoping to take a step toward the Top 10 with a solid run this week. She faces rising star Anna Lapushchenkova of Russia in her opening match.
Should Zvonareva and Peer hold true to their seedings and make the final it would be Zvonareva with the edge, having won all three of their prior encounters; however, two of those wins were earned in three sets, having lost the first set, while the other win was a tight 63 75 scoreline for the Russian.
Rounding out the seeds are Top 30 players Victoria Azarenka and Katarina Srebotnik (No.3 and No.4), Karin Knapp (No.5), Michaella Krajicek (No.6), Klara Zakopalova (No.7) and Kaia Kanepi (No.8). Unseeded threats include former Top 20 players Meghann Shaughnessy and Karolina Sprem.
Prague made its return as a Tour stop in 2005 after a six-year absence. Dinara Safina, Peer and Akiko Morigami have claimed the three titles since its return. Winners prior to the hiatus included Jana Novotna, Amanda Coetzer, Julie Halard-Decugis and Ruxandra Dragomir.
-- Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
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