Seeds through in Paris

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:18

Pole Radwanska, the fourth seed, lost only two games in defeating Oxana Lyubtsova 6-1 6-1 while home favourite Cornet, seeded five, was a 6-1 6-3 winner over another qualifier, Anastasija Sevastova.

There was more good news for the home fans when qualifier Emilie Loit raced to a 6-1 6-4 victory over Czech Nicole Vaidisova to set up a meeting with Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi.

Vaidisova, 19, looked to be one of the rising stars of the game but from a career-high world ranking of seven in May 2007 she has tumbled to 71.

Nathalie Dechy was another home winner, the 29-year-old wild card beating Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-2 1-6 6-2.

Daniela Hantuchova, another former top-10 star on the slide, showed some form in a 6-2 6-2 victory over Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova and will face Cornet in the second round.

Up-and-coming Russian Alisa Kleybanova was also victorious, the 19-year-old notching a 6-2 7-6 (7/2) victory over Tsvetana Pironkova.

Kleybanova impressed at the Australian Open last month, beating French Open champion Ana Ivanovic on the way to the fourth round, and will next face Radwanska.

Qualifier Karolina Sprem earned her place in the second round with a dominant 6-3 6-1 win over Petra Kvitova while Romania’s Monica Niculescu defeated Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 6-4 6-3.

Sprem is in line to face top seed Serena Williams in round two, if the American beats Iveta Benesova on Wednesday.

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