SPORTS

Roberta Vinci beats Petkovic in 2nd round in St. Petersburg

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Venus Williams of U.S. speaks during a news conference at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy-2017 tennis tournament match in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) (The Associated Press)

Roberta Vinci of Italy returns the ball to Andrea Petkovic of Germany during the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy 2017 tennis tournament match in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) (The Associated Press)

Andrea Petkovic of Germany returns the ball to Roberta Vinci of Italy during the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy 2017 tennis tournament match in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) (The Associated Press)

Defending champion Roberta Vinci advanced to the quarterfinals at the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy by beating Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-4 Thursday.

The sixth-seeded Italian was broken twice in the first set.

Vinci will next face either Australian Open finalist Venus Williams or Kristina Mladenovic.