Three seeds fall, Sharapova makes breakthrough

Top seed Renata Arshavskaya of Russia exited in the second round of "Barbados Junior International Championships" at National Tennis Center in St. Michael, Barbados yesterday. Arshavskaya handed walk over win to American Olga Khmylev. Taking part in her sixth Grade 4 tourney, 15 years old Arshavskya clinched her best outcome in this level of tourney when she was runner-up at "Jalisco Junior Cup 2009" in Mexico last February. Despite of being 17 years old already, Khmylev is only playing her third Grade 4 tourney here in Barbados. Her best result was at Grade 4 tourney in Bryan, Texas last year when she finished as quarter-finalist.

Another surprise occured as fifth seed Jelena Tomasovic from Canada was halted by American Denise Starr. Starr ousted Tomasovic 7-5, 6-2 and she will meet her compatriot Khmylev in quarterfinals. Meanwhile qualifier Nadia Echeverria Alam of USA posted another shock as she dispatched her compatriot, third seed Tristen Z Dewar also 7-5, 6-2.

Also advancing into the last eight round were second seed Italian Gaia Sanesi, qualifier and sixth seed Frizzi Bschorer from Germany and eighth seed Adel Arshavskaya from Russia. Sanesi was forced to fight harder but she survived eventually to beat Canadian Melissa Mc Queen 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. In quarterfinals Sanesi will clash with Arshavskaya who edged past Nelo Phiri of USA 6-2, 6-4. While German Bschorer defeated Pole Claudia Gmurowski with 6-1, 6-2 victory.

The attention was still focused on Daria Sharapova who continued her run and created a breakthrough as she reached quarterfinals of Grade 4 for the very first time. Sharapova faced strong fight from her opponent in the second set and finally she saw-off Canadian Shereen Peterson-Paul 6-0, 7-6(4). Next she will challenge sixth seed Bschorer.