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Top Teams Tested In Opening Matches

Russian second seeds Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova battled into the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open with a 6-0, 3-6, 10-4 victory over Briton Anne Keothavong and Monica Niculescu of Romania on Tuesday in Cincinnati.

The two Moscow natives are playing together for the first time this week. World No. 47 Kirilenko has gone 15-10 this season, highlighted by a title win in Estoril with Flavia Pennetta (d. Jugic-Salkic/Senoglu) and a runners-up finish with Pennetta in Montreal (l. to Black/Huber). Meanwhile, No. 104 Petrova stands at 5-10 for the season, highlighted by three quarterfinal exits.

Top seeds Su-Wei Hsieh of Chinese Taipei and Russian Yaroslava Shvedova narrowly escaped with the win in their first round match, defeating the American-South African duo of Julie Ditty and Natalie Grandin 6-2, 5-7, 10-8 in one hour and 18 minutes. Hsieh and Shvedova are teaming up for the first time this season.

The German-Czech duo of Jasmin Woehr and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, the No. 3 seeds, had no problems getting through their first round match as they dropped just one game total against Lilia Osterloh and Evgeniya Rodina.

Elsewhere, American partnership Madison Brengle and Kristy Frilling upset fourth seeds Stephanie Dubois of Canada and Russian Ekaterina Makarova 1-6, 6-3, 10-4. It is the first time this season that Brengle/Frilling have combined on the WTA Tour; they captured a satellite event in Indian Harbour Beach.

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