Tue Sep 16 11:18:58 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Radwanska rolls; Hantuchova, Chakvetadze ousted in Tokyo

---

Tokyo, Japan (Sports Network) - Sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska advanced with an easy first-round victory on Tuesday, while seventh-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and eighth-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze went by way of upsets at the $1.34 million Pan Pacific Open tennis event at Ariake Colosseum.

The Polish Radwanska cruised to a 6-1, 6-4 win over Japanese wild card Aiko Nakamura. Radwanska's second-round opponent will be Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, who posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Russian Maria Kirilenko.

Meanwhile, Hantuchova was humbled by Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 7-5 and Chakvetadze was dismissed by Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Day 2 here.

Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova rebounded from a first-set loss to top wild card and former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo of France 0-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8).

Japanese wild card Ayumi Morita managed a 6-7 (7-9), 7-5, 6-4 win over Hungary's Agnes Szavay, while Italian Flavia Pennetta got past Israel's Shahar Peer 6-4, 6-4, and Frenchwoman Alize Cornet toughed out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Canadian qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak. Pennetta is rewarded with a second-rounder against top-seeded U.S. Open runner-up Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, while Cornet will meet third-seeded Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia. Dementieva won this event in 2006.

On Wednesday, fourth-seeded French Open and Olympic runner-up Dinara Safina of Russia will meet Cibulkova in the second round, while fifth-seeded Russian star Svetlana Kuznetsova will face Chinese favorite Na Li in a first-rounder.

The 2008 champion at this Tier I hardcourt tournament will collect $196,900. Six of the world's Top-10 women are vying for the top prize.