SPORTS

Kuznetsova, Chakvetadze bite the dust

January 19, 2008 08:41 IST

World number two Svetlana Kuznetsova was sensationally dumped out of the Australian Open on Saturday after a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the third round.

Kuznetsova, who had her left thigh heavily strapped, had fought back from 3-0 deficit in the first set but was unable to continue her momentum, though the Pole needed seven break opportunities to help seal the decisive break for the first set.

The former US Open champion then reversed the slide and established a 3-0 lead in the second set but the battling 29th-seed rattled off three successive games then broke the Russian to take 5-4 lead.

She then saved a break point in the final match and sealed victory when Kuznetsova's service return cannoned into the net.

Russian sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze became the second high-profile seed to exit in the third round on Saturday after a 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 loss to compatriot Maria Kirilenko.

She was knocked out by her lower-ranked opponent less than an hour after second seed Kuznetsova was bundled out.

The match was evenly poised in the first set with the 20-year-old Chakvetadze prevailing in the tiebreak 8-6.

Kirilenko, however, ran away with the remainder of the match and while Chakvetadze saved four match points, she was unable to halt the momentum of her opponent, who won the game on her fifth opportunity when Chakvetadze sent a forehand wide.

Source: REUTERS
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