First up: Peng
17th May 2006
Elena Dementieva’s campaign for a second Tier I title will get underway on Wednesday as the Russian takes on Chinese power-hitter Shuai Peng.
These players have faced off once before, last year in San Diego, with Peng coming up on top with a hard-fought 7:5, 6:4 victory. Peng was leading Dominguez Lino 6:3, 3:0 in the first round before the Spanish retired with heat illness.
In doubles, the team of Dementieva/Pennetta had to withdraw from their scheduled first round versus Husarova/Peer due to Pennetta’s back injury. They were replaced by lucky-losers Dentoni/Perugini from Italy.
Should Elena beat her Chinese opponent, she is either meeting Aiko Nakamura or Anna-Lena Groenefeld, who will do battle for a third-round berth.
Other players advancing on day two at the Internazionali d’Italia include Venus Williams, home darlings Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone, as well as Svetlana Kuznetsova. Number thirteen seed Daniela Hantuchova was sent packing in three sets by Aussie star Samantha Stosur.
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