Lisicki, Kuznetsova survive as five seeds exit
Wednesday provided one upset after another
January 4, 2012
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- Svetlana Kuznetsova copyright www.photosport.co.nz
It was not a friendly day for most seeds of the 2012 ASB Classic. After the top eight seeds made it through their first tests of the season it was not the same story on Wednesday.
Sabine Lisicki, the top seed from Germany, had to fight hard to get past her compatriot Mona Barthel. Rain interrupted the match for 90 minutes before Lisicki came back to try and serve for the first set, which she would win in a tiebreak. The match was full of service breaks, each player with seven, but Lisicki managed to grab enough momentum to close it out 7-6 (3) 3-6 6-3.
But last year's semifinalist, Peng Shuai, had no answers in her match against Czech Lucie Hradecka who easily beat the #2 seed 6-4 6-3. Peng's countrywoman Zheng Jie had better luck and sent Romanian #8 seed Monica Niculescu home with a 6-0 6-2 scoreline.
The Italians also had mixed results. Flavia Pennetta beat Brit Elena Baltacha but the #6 seed Roberta Vinci went down to 2009 runner up Elena Vesnina 6-3 6-4. Pennetta's doubles partner, #5 seed Julia Goerges, lost to fellow German Angelique Kerber.
In the night session, Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia made quick work of American Christina McHale and Sara Errani cemented one final upset for the day as she knocked out Belgian Yanina Wickmayer in three sets. Wickmayer, a winner in 2010 and runner up in 2011, was making a return to the game after being injured for five months with a back injury.
