MASON, OH, USA - In one of her best runs since coming out of retirement last season, Brenda Schultz-McCarthy qualified and made the second round in Cincinnati. But on Thursday that run came to an end in an entertaining evening match, as No.2-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder sent the veteran Dutchwoman packing in straight sets, 62 63.
The Schultz-McCarthy serve, which for much of the 1990s was the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's fastest, was not at its most consistent during the straight set match, and Schnyder took advantage, breaking twice late in the first and once near the start of the second to get the lead in both sets. She managed to prevail in an hour and nine minutes.
"She was hitting some interesting shots; her volleys were really deep and she was well inside the court, but I wasn't afraid of having long rallies with her," said Schnyder. "Somehow you just have to get that break and play solid on your serve, and try to play long rallies, and hope maybe she'll tire a little bit."
This was the pair's second ever meeting, and in their first, Schultz-McCarthy won in straight sets, at the clay court event in Berlin over 11 years ago.
"I think the whole match I was kinda there but just not enough and I think that's how Patty plays," Schultz-McCarthy said. "Last time, it was long time ago, but it felt the same way. I think the only thing is I made the important points, and now I didn't. That's also the question of playing good people more. This is the first time playing a top player since I came back."
Schnyder now moves through to her third consecutive quarterfinal here, having won the title in 2005 and having been a semifinalist last year.
"I'm really happy about how this tournament has worked out so far; I'm focused on Cincinnati itself, to go far here," Schnyder said. "It's a nice atmosphere here. It's very familiar. You can talk to the fans. I've had good summers here and it's the kind of routine you want to repeat. Things that work, you don't change."
Two other seeds took the courts on Thursday but only one, No.6-seeded Elena Vesnina, was able to advance, dismissing China's Yuan Meng in straight sets, 61 64. She is 0-6 in her six prior Sony Ericsson WTA Tour quarterfinals and things will not get any easier on Friday, as she takes on top seed Anna Chakvetadze.
"It'll be a tough match for both of us. It's hard to play against a friend," Vesnina said. "The last time I played against Anna she wasn't a top player - like last year. Right now she's playing very solid tennis, reading her opponents' games well, and moving really well. She has a strong character in her matches."
No.9 seed Jill Craybas wasn't so fortunate, going out to Belarusian teenager Olga Govortsova, 67(5) 63 61. Govortsova will be making her quarterfinal debut.
"I'd actually lost to her in February this year so I had to change my game," said Govortsova, who is playing her fourth main draw on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "I lost the first set and then started playing more aggressively, and then I won."
Qualifier Akgul Amanmuradova beat Bethanie Mattek, 26 75 76(4), in the only match between unseeded players Thursday. The big-serving Uzbek was forced to rally from 4-0 down in the third set to reach her second career quarterfinal, having reached the final at her home event in Tashkent two years ago.
"I was thinking I just had to keep fighting and do whatever I can; doesn't matter if I lose, but still I have to fight, because if I lost 6-0 in the third set that would be a shame," Amanmuradova commented. "It was a good match for me, because I saw her matches and I knew she was really good. In the first set, I really had no chances and she played unbelievable; I'm happy I was able to come back."
In the doubles competition, No.1 seeds Mattek and Sania Mirza and No.3 seeds Akiko Morigami and Aiko Nakamura advanced safely to the semifinals.
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