Medina Garrigues advances in Tokyo

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:03

The second-seeded Medina Garrigues rallied for a 3-6 6-3 6-3 victory over Chan Yung-Jan of Chinese Taipei.

Medina Garrigues, the world number 28, advanced to her third final this season at Portoroz in late July but has been unable to build on that momentum. After advancing to the quarter-finals at Stockholm, the 26-year-old Spaniard crashed out of the Beijing Olympics in the first round before departing the US Open in the second round.

Following a pair of losses in the Fed Cup final, Medina Garrigues advanced to the quarter-finals in Beijing last week but was ousted by world number nine Vera Zvonareva.

Her struggles continued in the first set against Chan, who fired three aces and saved nine of 11 break points to take the early lead. But Medina Garrigues rebounded in the second and third sets by forging eight break points, winning five en route to the three-set victory in two hours 32 minutes.

Medina Garrigues advanced to face Australia’s Samantha Stosur, who won the opening set in her opening match against Vania King before the American retired.

Fifth-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia also dropped the first set in her second-round match at this Tier III event but bounced back to claim a 3-6 6-1 6-0 triumph over Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer.

Israel’s Shahar Peer was not as fortunate, falling to lucky loser Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia 5-7 6-1 7-6 (11/9) in the second round.

Advancing to the round of eight on Wednesday was seventh seed Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who booked her spot by posting a 6-2 6-2 victory over France’s Camille Pin.

Now get the WORLD’S BEST TENNIS MAGAZINE here