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Ivanovic slumps to shock defeat in Toronto
DAY OF UPSETS:
Chinese player Yan Zi powered to victory over the Serb, who she said was her favorite player and who only last week won the East West Bank Classic
AP, TORONTO, CANADA
Friday, Aug 17, 2007, Page 22
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Nadia Petrova of Russia hits a backhand to Stephanie Dubois of Canada during their match in Toronto on Wednesday.
PHOTO: AP
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China's Yan Zi upset Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday and eliminated the defending champion in the second round of the Rogers Cup.
Ivanovic the No. 4 seed was stunned by the 169th-ranked player in the world, capping a day of upsets that also claimed fifth-seeded Anna Chakvetadze and No. 8 Elena Dementieva.
"She's my favorite player," the 22-year-old Yan said. "I think today I'm really lucky."
She jumped on a lethargic Ivanovic, who won last week's East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles. Yan kept Ivanovic running with powerful two-handed strokes, never giving the 19-year-old Serb time to get comfortable.
"She played extremely well today," said Ivanovic, who won the tournament last year in Montreal. "I expected a tough match, but from the first point on she played very aggressively and she was dominating."
Yan came into the match relaxed, figuring she didn't have much to lose against a heavy favorite.
"Because she's the top player, I [didn't] think I could win," Yan said. "So [I] just went on the court and enjoyed the match."
Chakvetadze trailed 6-7 (5), 0-2 in her second-round match when she was forced to retire due to flu-like symptoms.
At least the top seed advanced. No. 1-ranked Justine Henin had an easy 6-3, 6-1 victory over Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and will next face China's Shuai Peng.
Sixth-seeded Nadia Petrova eliminated Canada's Stephanie Dubois with a three-set victory on a sunny, windy afternoon at the Rexall Center. Sybille Bammer knocked off another Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-4, 6-2.
Petrova started slowly but rebounded for a 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 win.
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