• WTA Tour

Rezai and Szavay maintain good form

ESPN staff
July 13, 2010
Aravane Rezai beat Simona Halep in three sets © Getty Images
Enlarge

Agnes Szavay and Aravane Rezai both built on their recent title victories during the first rounds of the SNAI Open and Prague Open on Tuesday.

Rezai, the second seed in Palermo, beat Gisela Dulko to win the Swedish Open title last week. And she looked full of confidence despite needing three sets to see off first-round challenger Simona Halep 7-5 4-6 6-2.

Szavay, a winner in Budapest last week, beat Liana Ungur 6-4 6-3 to get her Prague Open campaign off to the perfect start. Typically powerful, Szavay broke four times to wrap up victory in an hour and 40 minutes.

Rezai has some solid company in Palermo, where Flavia Pennetta promises to be a significant contender on home turf. The Italian expended little energy in beating Kathrin Woerle 6-3 6-1.

Also lurking in the draw is eighth seed Julia Goerges, who beat Martina Caregaro 6-3 6-2, and ninth seed Alberta Brianti, a 7-6(0) 6-2 winner over Aranxta Rus.

Meanwhile, joining Szavay in the second round in Prague is top seed Lucie Safarova, who won just one more point than Anastasija Sevastova in a 6-4 7-5 victory. Second seed Alexandra Dulgheu also progressed at the expense of Tathiana Garbin, but No. 3 seed Timea Bacsinszky was sent tumbling out by Romania's Monica Niulescu.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices