Auckland, New Zealand – Top-seeded Sabine Lisicki survived set win Wednesday over fellow German Mona Barthel in the second opening ASB Classic.
Lisicki needed nearly 2 1/2 hours to knock off Barthel, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-3 on the hardcourts at ASB Tennis Centre.
Barthel saved 16 of 23 break points in the rain-delayed match, but Lisicki moved on to face Angelique Kerber, who upset No. 5 seed Julia Goerges in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
Second-seeded Shuai Peng was also ousted in two sets, dropping a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Lucie Hradecka.
Third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova cruised part Christina McHale, 6-1, 6-1 and No. 4 seed Flavia Pennetta beat Elena Baltacha, 6-4, 6-2; but sixth-seeded Elena Vesnina lost 6-3, 6-4 to Roberta Vinci and eighth-seeded Monica Niculescu fell to Jie Zheng 6-0, 6-2.
The winner of this $220,000 Australian Open tuneup will claim $37,000.
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