Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (Sports Network) - French Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic and last week's Portoroz champion Tatiana Golovin were among the winners Wednesday, while third-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova went by way of the upset at the $600,000 Fortis Championships.
The second-seeded Ivanovic moved into the quarterfinals by handling a wild card, Luxembourg's own Anne Kremer, 7-5, 6-4, while the eighth-seeded Golovin stayed hot by downing Romanian wild card Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round on the indoor hardcourts at CK Sport Kockelscheuer. The Serbian Ivanovic and three other seeds received opening-round byes this week.
The French Golovin has won her last six matches, including a victory against Katarina Srebotnik in this past Sunday's finale at the Slovenia Open. Her second-round opponent here on Thursday will be last year's Luxembourg runner- up, Francesca Schiavone.
Surging Belarusian Victoria Azarenka ousted Petrova in 6-2, 6-1 fashion to reach the quarterfinals.
One other second-round match saw Russian Vera Zvonareva take out seventh- seeded Israeli Shahar Peer 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, while one other first-round bout saw sixth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder shut down Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko 6-1, 6-3. Bondarenko's sister Alona captured this tournament last year by beating Schiavone in the final. Alona Bondarenko lost to Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli here on Tuesday.
Zvonareva will meet Azarenka in Friday's quarterfinals.
This week's top seed is Russian Anna Chakvetadze, who will open her stay against American Meilen Tu on Thursday.
The 2007 Luxembourg titlist will claim $88,265.
Portoroz, Slovenia (Sports Network) - This week's top seeds -- France's Tatiana Golovin and Austrian Sybille Bammer -- highlighted Wednesday's second- round winners at the $145,000 Slovenia Open.
Golovin grounded Italian Karin Knapp 6-4, 6-3, while Bammer blitzed Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-3, 6-2 on the hardcourts at SRC Marina in the beautiful coastal city of Portoroz.
Two other seeds moved into the quarterfinals here, as No. 5 Russian Vera Zvonareva held off Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy 6-0, 5-7, 6-4 and No. 8 Russian Vera Dushevina doused Czech Iveta Benesova 6-4, 6-4. Zvonareva and Dushevina will square off in an all-Russian quarter on Friday.
The first round finally concluded on Wednesday, with three matches that were either suspended or postponed because of rain and/or darkness here on Tuesday. Seventh-seeded Argentine Gisela Dulko dropped Swiss Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-3, 6-4, while ninth-seeded American Meilen Tu got past Croat Jelena Kostanic Tosic 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) and Russian Elena Vesnina outlasted Slovenian wild card Polona Hercog 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4.
On Thursday, fourth-seeded heavy Slovenian crowd favorite Katarina Srebotnik will battle American veteran Meghann Shaughnessy in a second-round affair.
The 2007 Portoroz winner will pocket $21,140.
Portoroz, Slovenia (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Tatiana Golovin and Slovenian crowd favorite Katarina Srebotnik highlighted Monday's first-round winners at the $145,000 Slovenia Open.
The Russian native Golovin, who plays under the French flag and lives in Florida, snuck past American Lilia Osterloh 6-1, 1-6, 6-1, while the fourth- seeded Srebotnik dismantled her wild card countrywoman Masa Zec Peskiric 6-0, 6-0 on the hardcourts at SRC Marina.
One other opening-rounder saw Russian veteran Elena Likhovtseva sneak past Czech veteran Klara Zakopalova 7-6 (10-8), 6-2.
The 2007 Portoroz winner will pocket $21,140. Austrian Tamira Paszek beat Italian Maria Elena Camerin in last year's finale.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (Sports Network) - French Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic and last week's Portoroz champion Tatiana Golovin were among the winners Wednesday, while third-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova went by way of the upset at the $600,000 Fortis Championships.
