By IANS
New York : Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine knocked India’s Sania Mirza out of the Pilot Pen tennis tournament at New Haven, Connecticut, while top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova came from a set down to defeat Agnieszka Radwanska, and second seed Daniela Hantuchova was bundled out by qualifier Agnes Szavay.
Third seed Marion Bartoli and fourth seed Dinara Safina were also in action at the $600,000 WTA Tour event and both booked their places in the quarterfinals with fairly comfortable straight-set victories Wednsday, according to WTA’s official website.
Top seed Kuznetsova has been one of the most consistent performers this year and her three-set win over talented Polish teenager Radwanska saw her reach the quarterfinals for the 11th time this season.
The Russian world number four made a stuttering start to the match, dropping serve twice on her way to losing the opening set, but her young opponent failed to capitalise on this early advantage and was made to pay the price.
Kuznetsova came roaring back, racing through the second set before edging a tight decider to secure a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory in a little under two hours.
Next up for the 22-year-old is a clash with the in-form Francesca Schiavone. The 27-year-old Italian is not seeded this week, but has already defeated Patty Schnyder and was just as impressive during her 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Emilie Loit.
Like Kuznetsova, second seed Hantuchova also took on one of the bright teenage prospects in the second round.
The 24-year-old Slovakian was paired with high-flying Hungarian Agnes Szavay, who delivered one of the performances of her career to defeat her higher-ranked opponent 7-5, 6-3.
The victory was the 18-year-old’s first win over a Top 10 player and sees her advance to a fifth quarterfinal of 2007 where she will meet another of the year’s outstanding performers, Alona Bondarenko.
The eighth seed from Ukraine overcame a second-set blip to knock out India’s Sania Mirza 6-3, 0-6, 6-3.
One player to profit from Hantuchova’s premature exit is world number 11, Bartoli.
The tenacious Frenchwoman saw off experienced Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-0, 6-4 in the second round and will now swap places with the Slovakian in the world rankings and subsequently break into the Top 10 for the first time in her career.
Standing between her and a place in the semi-finals is sixth seed Elena Dementieva, who defeated American wild card Ashley Harkleroad 6-1, 7-6 (8-6).
Dementieva’s fellow Russian Dinara Safina also encountered an American wild card and produced an authoritative display to ease past Vania King 6-1, 6-3. Her next opponent will be Greek number one Eleni Daniilidou, who produced a stirring comeback to conquer seventh seed Sybille Bammer 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.
After Tuesday’s heavy rain, doubles players were forced to play catch-up and three of the top four seeds were in action Wednesday.
The match of the day was top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber’s clash with Lisa Raymond and comeback queen Lindsay Davenport and it certainly did not disappoint.
Davenport and Raymond started the match in tremendous form and when they snatched the opener an upset looked on the cards. However, Black and Huber then showed why they have won two of the year’s three Grand Slam events, hitting back to level the match before winning the contest on a pro-set tie-break.
Elsewhere third seeds Sania Mirza and Mara Santangelo also booked their quarterfinal spot with a comfortable straight-set win, but fourth seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues and Ruano Pascual were the day’s major casualties when they were comprehensively defeated by Iveta Benesova and Bethanie Mattek.