Peer, Petrova, Pacsek Among Winners in Maryland

By Matt Hursh                                 Photo Credit: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

After a short day of play on Monday, most of the first round matches at the Citi Open in College Park, Maryland took place on Tuesday. Notable winners included top three seeds Shahar Peer, Nadia Petrova and Tamira Paszek.

Peer posted a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Japanese qualifier Ryoko Fuda, who previously clinched a main draw berth yesterday. But despite earning a total of 10 break points against Peer, Fuda could only converted one into a break of serve, ending her run in Maryland.

Although Peer is the top seed in the tournament, the World No. 24 enters on a disappointing run having lost in the first round in her last four tournaments.

The win over Fuda breaks that streak and sends the Israeli into the second round, where she will play Alla Kudryavtseva, who beat Chanelle Scheepers in three sets on Tuesday.

Second seeded Nadia Petrova downed another qualifier, American Alexandra Mueller, by a score of 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the second round as well. The No. 32 ranked Petrova was last seen losing to Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon and received a wildcard in Maryland. She will play another wildcard, Eugenie Bouchard, in the second round.

Third seeded Tamira Paszek held off American Melanie Oudin in a two and a half hour first round effort, ousting the teenager 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2.

The key to the match for the Austrian was her serve. In the second set, the only set she lost, Pascek made under 50 percent of her first serves, double-faulted six times and was broken in three of her five service games. But Pascek recovered to make 77 percent of first serves in the decisive third set, allowing her avoid facing a break point throughout the set.

Fourth seeded Jelena Dokic also struggled with her serve on Tuesday, posting 43 percent first serve percentage and 16 double-faults. Dokic was broken in four of nine service games and lost a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Shuai Zhang of China.

Other winners included fifth and eighth seeds Bojana Jovanovski and Alberta Brianti. Americans Irina Falconi, Jill Craybas and qualifier Madison Brengle also won on Tuesday. Craybas is the oldest player in the draw at 37 years old.

The second round in Maryland will begin on Wednesday.