Tennis: Top-seeded Szavay survives 4 match points
Associated Press
BAD GASTEIN, Austria — Top-seeded Agnes Szavay fought off four match points before defeating Melanie Klaffner of Austria 3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (3) today in the second round of the Gastein Ladies.
The 18-year-old Klaffner, ranked 320th, used one break to win the opening set and led 5-2 in the second. After failing to close out the match, Klaffner went up 5-2 again in the final set.
But Szavay broke back and converted her first match point in the tiebreaker.
In the quarterfinals, the 14th-ranked Hungarian will play seventh-seeded Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic, who defeated Galina Voskoboeva of Russia 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
On Thursday, rain suspended the match at 1-1 in the final set. Benesova won five straight games to wrap up the victory.
Earlier Friday, Mariya Koryttseva of Ukraine upset third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5). Wozniacki broke Koryttseva's serve seven times, but missed 14 other break points.
In the quarterfinals, Koryttseva will play Tereza Hladikova of Czech Republic, who beat Karolina Sprem of Croatia 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
Fourth-seeded Pauline Parmentier of France earned a quarterfinal berth by defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
Parmentier's next opponent will be either Yvonne Meusburger or Maret Ani, who played later Friday.
Lucie Hradecka became the third player from Czech Republic to reach the quarterfinals by defeating fifth-seeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 6-1, 6-4.