4 Jan 2012

Half the seeds eliminated at ASB Classic

11:08 pm on 4 January 2012

The rain arrived on day three of Auckland's ASB tennis Classic, and it wasn't the only thing to fall - with four of the eight seeded players knocked out.

Russia's Elena Vesnina won her first set before the rain, then cruised past Italian sixth seed Roberta Vinci in a 6-3 6-4 upset.

Fifth seed Julia Goerges quickly followed Vinci out the door, thrashed 6-2 6-3 in just an hour by countrywoman Angelique Kerber, who beat New Zealand's Marina Erakovic in Tuesday's riveting first round feature match.

Top seed Sabine Lisicki hardly looked convincing, needing a tiebreak and three sets to see off fellow German Mona Barthel, Lisicki winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-3.

Fourth seed Flavia Pennetta, another Italian, had a routine 6-4 6-2 win over British number one Elena Baltacha.

It was straight sets too for Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic over second seed Peng Shuai, while another Chinese player, Zheng Jie, took out eighth seed Monica Niculescu of Romania.

More rain only delayed the inevitable for young American Christina McHale, Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova having no trouble after the resumption, wrapping it up 6-1 6-1.

The final second round match is still on court, former champion and seventh seed Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium at a set all with Italy's Sara Errani.