The Hindu : Sprem stuns Pistolesi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 13, 2003

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Sprem stuns Pistolesi

VIENNA JUNE 12. Anna Pistolesi's defence of the Wien Energie Grand Prix title lasted two rounds after she lost to 18-year-old qualifier Karolina Sprem 4-6, 6-3, 5-7 on Wednesday.

Sprem's victory was no surprise. The Croatian beat top-10 player Jelena Dokic and Vera Zvonareva en route to reaching her first career final in Strasbourg last month. That catapulted Sprem into the top 100 for the first time.

Her victory over Pistolesi in 35-degree C heat was her third straight three-set match out of qualifying. ``It was a tough game in enormous heat,'' Sprem said. ``I guess, I was simply the luckier of the two of us.''

Sprem has a quarterfinal next against seventh-seeded Denisa Chladkova, who beat Slovakia's Janette Husarova 6-1, 6-3.

Dokic, top-seeded here, had a first-round bye and struggled to win her opening match 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 over Rita Grande.

She will play Paola Suarez, who ousted last year's semifinalist Patricia Wartusch 6-1, 6-3.

Second-seeded Zvonareva easily overcame Estonian qualifier Maret Ani 6-4, 6-2, and will face Maja Matevzic, who beat Eva Fislova 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4.

Fifth-seeded Clarisa Fernandez was upset by Anca Barna 3-6, 6-4, 2-6. But Barna's next opponent, fourth-seed Silvia Farina Elia downed Klara Koukalova 6-3, 7-5.

The results: Jelena Dokic bt Rita Grande 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Vera Zvonareva bt Maret Ani 6-4, 6-2; Karolina Sprem bt Anna Pistolesi 6-4, 3-6, 7-5; Silvia Farina Elia bt Klara Koukalova 6-3, 7-5; Anca Barna bt Clarisa Fernandez 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Paola Suarez bt Patricia Wartusch 6-1, 6-3; Denisa Chladkova bt Janette Husarova 6-1, 6-3; Maja Matevzic bt Eva Fislova 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4. — AP

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