Unforced errors help Panova defeat No. 8 seed
CINCINNATI -- Russia's Tatiana Panova upset eighth-seeded Kveta Peschke 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the first round of the $170,000 Cincinnati Women's Open on Monday.
Peschke, ranked No. 40 on the WTA tour, was the only seeded player in action Monday. After losing the first set, she came up with a service break to force a second-set tiebreaker before hitting a forehand return long on match point. The Czech committed 67 unforced errors.
"She always has a lot of unforced errors," said Panova, who is ranked No. 121. "You never know what she's going to do. I played a lot of points quickly, and I think that surprised her."
In other first-round matches, Yoon Jeong Cho of South Korea beat Alina Jidkova of Russia 7-6 (5), 6-3; Japan's Aiko Nakamura eliminated Abigail Spears 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-3; and Israel's Shahar Peer beat the Ukraine's Yuliana Fedak 6-2, 6-3.
Nakamura will most likely face Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, the tournament's top seed and the tour's 12th-ranked player, in the second round of the Tier III tournament.
Schnyder is scheduled to face unranked wild-card entry Carolina Wozniacki in the first round.
Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press
