Top seeds survive in New Haven

New Haven, August 23:

Top seeds Nikolay Davydenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova survived scares at the Pilot Pen on Wednesday.

Davydenko beat American Donald Young 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Kuznetsova was up 4-2 before dropping the first set to Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6. She bounced back to take the next two 6-1, 6-4.

There was an upset in the women’s singles when qualifier Agnes Szavay of Hungary upset second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 6-3.

Third-seeded Marion Bartoli of France defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-0, 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals. It was the second time in a row Bartoli has beaten Ruano Pascual. Bartoli will next face No 6-seed Elena Dementieva, who pulled out a 6-1, 7-6 (6) victory over American Ashley Harkleroad.

Fourth-seeded David Ferrer defeated American John Isner 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-2. Last year’s finalist, Agustin Calleri of Argentina, edged American Robby Ginepri 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, and Spain’s Fernando Verdasco beat American Vince Spadea 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Also, Argentine Jose Acasuso defeated Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 7-5, and Spanish Nicolas Almagro beat French Julien Benneteau, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3.

On the women’s side, Francesca Schiavone of Italy beat Emilie Loit of France 6-1, 6-4; Eleni Daniilidou of Greece beat Sybille Bammer of Austria 1-6, 7-5, 6-2; and Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine beat Sania Mirza of India 6-3, 0-6, 6-3.