Quarterfinal day in Auckland
January 5, 2012
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- Elena Vesnina copyright www.photosport.co.nz
A battle of former ASB Classic finalists start quarterfinal day in Auckland today as 2010 runner up Flavia Pennetta of Italy takes on 2009 finalist Elena Vesnina of Russia. Neither player has dropped a set in the first two matches and the Italian leads the head to head 3-2, the pair splitting their hard court matches.
Top seed Sabine Lisicki follows on centre court, taking out fellow German Angelique Kerber who knocked out #5 seed Julia Goerges yesterday. The two have not been since 2008 and Kerber has won both previous matches.
China's Zheng Jie, an easy winner over #8 seed Monica Niculescu, will take on Czech Lucie Hradecka who caused an upset of her own Wednesday in defeating #2 seed Peng Shuai. The match will be the pair's second meeting, with their only other contest being first round of the French Open in 2008, which Zheng won 8-6 in the third set.
The final quarterfinal pairs Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia against Sara Errani of Italy who ended Yanina Wickmayer's great Auckland run last night in three sets. The two will play under the lights not before 7.30pm. The Russian has never lost to Errani in four matches.
