OWN CORRESPONDENT, Oklahoma City | Thursday 9.30am.
THIRD-seeded Amanda Coetzer stopped Anastasia Myskina of Russia 7-5 6-2 on Wednesday in the $170000 IGA Superthrift Tennis Classic.
But the biggest loss came off the court when top-seeded Julie Halard-Decugis of France was forced to withdraw from the tournament because of an abdominal strain sustained while practicing her serve on Sunday.
Coetzer, ranked 16th, used three service breaks in a 7-5 first set win against Myskina in the final first-round match of the tournament. She used two service breaks to break open a 2-2 second set and close out the match.
“I was down 40-love in the second game of the second set and rallied to win,” Coetzer said. “That was really important, because if I lose the second game I’m down 2-0 and it would be difficult for me to come back.”
American Meilen Tu replaced Halard-Decugis in the tournament and promptly lost to Rita Grande of Italy 6-4 3-6 6-2 in a second-round match. Tu, ranked 121st, was the highest-rated loser in the qualifying.
Fifth-seeded Nathalie Dechy of France beat Nicole Pratt of Australia 6-4 6-3. Sarah Pitkowski of France beat Daniela Hantuchovaof Slovakia 6-2 6-3, and sixth-seeded Lisa Raymond beat Corina Morariu 2-6 6-0 6-3 in a battle of Americans.
Halard-Decugis was the third highly ranked player to pull out of the tournament in the past two weeks.