Li, Pennetta ousted in first round of Kremlin Cup

MOSCOW (AP)?Third-seeded Li Na of China and fifth-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy were eliminated in the first round of the Kremlin Cup on Tuesday.

The 11th-ranked Li lost 6-4, 6-2 to 2006 champion Anna Chakvetadze, while Pennetta was eliminated by another Russian, Elena Vesnina, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Chakvetadze broke twice in the first set for a 5-2 lead. Li, who only managed to put in 30 percent of her first serves in the first set, narrowed the gap to 5-4 but Chakvetadze saved four break points in the next game to clinch the set. Chakvetadze dominated the second set, breaking Li twice.

?I wasn?t favorite for the match,? Chakvetadze said. ?I had nothing to lose and played free and easily. I?m happy I?ve made it.?

Victoria Azarenka, who qualified for the championships last season, will play Andrea Petkovic in the second round. Petkovic rallied to beat Olga Govortsova 0-6, 7-5, 6-0.

The 23rd-ranked Pennetta struggled on her serve in the third set. She saved three break points in the second game and two more in the fourth before Vesnina eventually broke for a 3-1 lead. Vesnina earned two match points with a precise crosscourt forehand and converted the second when Pennetta failed to return her crosscourt shot.

Seventh-seeded Alisa Kleybanova reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (1) win over Lucie Safarova.

In the men?s first round, Radek Stepanek beat Victor Hanescu 7-6 (5), 6-3. Andrey Golubev advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maximo Gonzalez .

Three-time champion Nikolay Davydenko tops the men?s draw. Jelena Jankovic, who won in 2008, is the top-seeded woman.

Li said she ?wasn?t feeling so good on the court.? Li entered the event on a wild card, hoping to strengthen her position as a top substitute for next week?s WTA Tour Championships in Doha.

?I think Doha was playing on my mind, so I was nervous,? Li said. ?I?m feeling pretty disappointed right now. I just have to wait and see what happens, it?s not in my hands anymore.?

Li was just five points ahead of Azarenka, who was seeded second at the Kremlin Cup and had a first-round bye. Whoever fares better in Moscow may fill the space likely left open by the injured Serena Williams in Doha.

Williams is doubtful for her seventh appearance at the championships after aggravating her injured foot. The American was planning a comeback last week in Linz, Austria, but withdrew and announced that she might be out for the rest of the season.

Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/1Bu2S29-JHU/

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