Ninth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova rallied to beat French qualifier Aravane Rezai 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Monday in the first round of the Italian Open.
"In the first set I think I was tight, but that's normal in the first round," said Hantuchova, who has never advanced past the third round in six appearances in Rome.
Other seeds advancing were No. 11 Shahar Peer of Israel, who was leading 6-0, 2-0 when Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska retired because of an injury to her right wrist, and 10th-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia, who dispatched Italy's Maria Elena Camerin 6-1, 6-2.
PHOTO: AFP
Ai Sugiyama beat Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 5-7, 7-5; Meghann Shaughnessy of the US eliminated Emilie Loit 6-3, 6-2; Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko outlasted Chinese Sun Tiantian 6-7 (6) 7-5, 6-2; and lucky loser Michaella Krajicek defeated Olga Poutchkova 6-1, 6-2.
In a matchup of the youngest and oldest players in the draw, 16-year-old Austrian qualifier Tamira Paszek rallied past 34-year-old Nicole Pratt 6-7 (1), 6-0, 6-2.
The 42nd-ranked Kirilenko recovered from an early break in the final set and staved off three match points the first time Sugiyama served for the match at 5-4. But the more experienced Sugiyama -- who made only six unforced errors -- broke back and converted her first match point the next time she served.
"I just had to hang in and be patient. Luckily, I got through," said Sugiyama, a former top-10 player.
The top eight seeded players have byes in the first round.
Two-time Rome champion Amelie Mauresmo is top-seeded at the Italian Open since top-ranked Justine Henin did not enter and No. 2 Maria Sharapova withdrew with a right shoulder injury.
Defending champion Martina Hingis pulled out with hip and back injuries.
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