Tue Jun 17 15:37:02 2008

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Petrova reaches QFs; Vaidisova loses in Eastbourne

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Eastbourne, England (Sports Network) - Eighth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova booked a spot in the quarterfinals, while seventh-seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova was among Tuesday's first-round losers at the $600,000 International Women's Open, a final Wimbledon tuneup.

Petrova snuck past Chinese Na Li 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, while a struggling Vaidisova was ousted by Belarusian Olga Govortsova 6-2, 6-4 at Devonshire Park International Tennis Centre. Govortsova notched her third top-20 win of the year, while Vaidisova is now 2-8 in her last 10 matches overall.

In other opening-round action, France's Virginie Razzano rolled past Estonian lucky-loser Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-4 and Austrian Sybille Bammer outlasted Russian Alla Kudryavtseva 7-6 (11-9), 1-6, 7-5.

Additional first-round wins came for Dane Caroline Wozniacki and Russian qualifiers Ekaterina Makarova and Alisa Kleybanova.

Also on Tuesday, 32-year-old former world No. 1 American Lindsay Davenport pulled out here, citing a right knee injury. The former world No. 1 was scheduled to meet Razzano on Day 2.

Davenport has been sidelined for the last two months due to injuries.

On Wednesday, top-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova will take on Wozniacki, while second-seeded Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli of France will battle Bammer and former top-ranked Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo will tangle with Aussie Samantha Stosur in the second round. Mauresmo was last year's runner- up here to recently-retired Belgian star Justine Henin.

This week's winner will collect $95,500.