Kuznetsova, Hingis reach third round at U.S. Open

Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova and Martina Hingis were a pair of second-round winners Thursday at the U.S. Open.
The fourth-seeded Kuznetsova, of Russia, got past France's Camille Pin 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 on Day 4 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The two-time major finalist Kuznetsova was the surprise U.S. Open titlist in 2004 and last year's runner-up to Justine Henin at the French Open.
Kuznetsova's third-round opponent will be Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues.
A 16th-seeded Hingis handled France's Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 7-5. The "Swiss Miss" captured the U.S. Open in 1997 and was the runner-up here in 1998 and 1999. The five-time major titlist hasn't captured a major since the '99 Aussie Open.
Sixth-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze moved on with a 6-3, 6-4 decision against veteran Aussie Nicole Pratt, while 11th-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder shut down France's Severine Bremond 6-3, 6-0. The surging Chakvetadze, who reached quarterfinals at this year's Aussie and French Opens, will battle Indian Sania Mirza in the round of 32.
Eighteenth-seeded Israeli Shahar Peer pasted American Bethanie Mattek 6-2, 6-1, while a 26th-seeded Mirza handled American Laura Granville 6-3, 7-5 and a 31st-seeded Medina Garrigues leveled her compatriot Lourdes Dominguez Lino 7-5, 6-2.
A mild upset came when rising 16-year-old Austrian Tamira Paszek took out 24th-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 7-5.
Capable Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko whipped Croatian Jelena Kostanic Tosic 6-2, 6-1. Vakulenko, who has already beaten the likes of former world No. 1s Amelie Mauresmo and Kim Clijsters this season, toppled ninth-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova in the opening round here.

Kuznetsova, Hingis ease into second round in Flushing

Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova and Martina Hingis were easy second-round winners Tuesday at the U.S. Open.
The 2004 titlist Kuznetsova, seeded fourth at this 2007 fortnight, handled Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-2, 6-3 on Day 2 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The two-time major finalist from Russia was last year's runner- up at the French Open.
The solid Kuznetsova, fresh off her hardcourt title in New Haven last week, will face France's Camille Pin in the second round here.
The 16th-seeded Hingis waltzed past France's Mathilde Johansson 6-0, 6-3. The former world No. 1 and five-time major titlist Hingis was the U.S. Open champ in 1997 and the back-to-back runner-up in 1998 and 1999.
The Swiss Hingis' second-round opponent will be another Frenchwoman, Pauline Parmentier.
Eleventh-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder pasted Czech Iveta Benesova 6-3, 6-0, while 13th-seeded Czech slugger Nicole Vaidisova vaulted past Russian Alla Kudryavtseva 6-1, 6-2. Vaidisova is playing her first tennis since early July after being sidelined with a mono-like illness.
A mild upset came when Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova dismissed 23rd-seeded Italian Tathiana Garbin 6-4, 6-3.
Other seeds to advance were No. 26 Indian Sania Mirza and No. 30 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Mirza snuck past Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1.