Several Russian women have showcased strong performances in the early stages of this year’s Australian Open.
Dinara Safina stands out among several other Russian female players as the second seed in the world tennis tournament. On Thursday she achieved a straight sets 6-4, 6-3 second round win again Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
In a post-match interview with the tournament’s official Web site, Safina said she was pleased with her performance on the court, but noted she has room for improvement as she pursues further victories.
Other Russians who took match victories included Svetlana Kuznetsova, who advanced to the third round after defeating fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova; and Nadia Petrova, who defeated Estonian Kaia Kanepi.
As these women continue to demonstrate a command of the court, Russia’s favorite tennis star, Maria Sharapova, was knocked out of the contest early on by fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko, to the surprise of many. Kirilenko went on to win in a match against Austria’s Yvonne Meusburger.
Maria Sharapova
Maria Kirilenko
Svetlana Kuznetsova
