Safarova advances as Andreev leaves early

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:19

The 22-year-old Safarova fired eight aces and won 90 percent of her first serve points (26-of-29), needing just 62 minutes to dispatch of the Brit.

Safarova will face American Vania King, who managed a 6-2 7-6 (7/5) triumph over American wild card Alexandra Stevenson. King broke Stevenson’s serve three times in the one hour, 40 minute match.

Sixth-seeded Sabine Lisicki cruised into the second round with a 6-3 6-3 victory over unseeded Russian Ekaterina Bychkova, but there was one upset as seventh-seeded Russian Alla Kudryavtseva was stunned by Dutch qualifier Michaella Krajicek 6-1 6-4, eighth-seeded Pauline Parmentier of France outlasted her compatriot Julie Coin 7-6 (8/6) 4-6 6-1.

In other matches, Michelle Larcherde brushed aside Sofia Arvidsson 6-2 6-0, Stephanie Cohen Aloro defeated Alexa Glatch 6-3 6-3, fourth-seeded Brit Anne Keothavong defeated Italian Maria Elena Camerin 3-6 6-3 6-1 while in the late match, second-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated American Varvara Lepchenko 6-2 6-2.

In the men’s tournament sixth-seeded Igor Andreev was upset by fellow Russian Igor Kunitsyn 1-6 6-4 6-3 in the first round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis.

Ranked number 22 in the world, Andreev took advantage of two of his five break-point opportunities to cruise in the first set. But the 25-year-old would not have another break chance en route to a surprising loss in the hardcourt event.

Andreev has been eliminated in the first round in each of his last three tournaments and is winless in four matches this season.

Australian Chris Guccione blasted 19 aces and saved all three break points to defeat American Vincent Spadea 7-6 (7/1) 7-6 (7/5). He will face either third-seeded James Blake or fellow Aussie Lleyton Hewitt in the second round, while qualifier Dudi Sela of Israel also advanced with a 7-6 (7/4) 6-2 victory American Bobby Reynolds.

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