Caroline to meet Nadia in quarterfinal clash

It was a photo finish but Caroline Wozniacki made it past one of Charleston's favorite daughters, Patty Schnyder, and into the quarterfinals of the $700,000 Family Circle Cup.

Wozniacki, the No.1 seed, had won the pair's last two meetings, and after easing to a 62 42 with two points for 62 52, things weren't looking so hot for Schnyder. But the No.16-seeded Swiss, twice a finalist at the Premier-level tournament, caught fire from there, cutting down on the errors and pulling the trigger with a slew of forehand winners, closing to 4-all, then 5-all... but that's where the late surge stopped, as Wozniacki finally served it out, 62 75.

"It was not easy today. I'm so happy I pulled through in two sets," Wozniacki said. "I knew from the beginning to keep the points short because once the balls got heavier, once we really got into the match, we'd have longer rallies and it would be tougher for me because she gets a lot of balls back, and when she has the opportunity she steps in and goes around her forehand.

"She plays smart, effective. It's different from most other players, but you just need to stick in there. It doesn't matter if the ball goes over 15 or 20 times. Just fight and in the end you need to take advantage of the short balls."

"I was playing good tennis. The whole atmosphere, the support, it took me to a higher level," Schnyder said. "I felt really great the way I broke her when she was serving at 62 54. There were so many good rallies and I came up with winners and was really attacking her, and she was just running. That's her greatest strength, running balls down and moving her opponent around."

"I like this tournament and I like the competition. This was a really tough third round I had with Caroline," she said. "It's a bit sad I didn't have the intensity I needed today and haven't been scoring those wins... So I'll see what I'll do."

Next up for Wozniacki will be No.6 seed Nadia Petrova, who beat No.12 seed Aleksandra Wozniak, 62 64. Petrova led 62 51 before finally closing it out.

Others reaching the quarterfinals were No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic, No.4 seed Samantha Stosur, No.7 seed Vera Zvonareva, No.8 seed Daniela Hantuchova, No.13 seed Melanie Oudin and unseeded Peng Shuai. Jankovic was pushed to three in her first match of the week but cruised through her round of 16 encounter with Evgeniya Rodina, 63 61.


Thursday, April 15, 2010

Singles - Third Round
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (16) Patty Schnyder (SUI) 62 75
(2) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 63 61
(4) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (14) Vera Dushevina (RUS) 61 36 61
(6) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. (12) Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 62 64
(7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. (9) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 62 61
(8) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Angelique Kerber (GER) 67(6) 75 63
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (10) Elena Vesnina (RUS) 75 26 62
(13) Melanie Oudin (USA) d. (Q) Christina McHale (USA) 64 60