Shahar swings forward

Pe'er defeats Misake Doi in Osaka, taking another step towards participation in the WTA Championships in Qatar.

By ALLON SINAI, AP
311_Shahar Peer (photo credit: Associated Press)
311_Shahar Peer
(photo credit: Associated Press)
Shahar Pe’er took another small step towards participation in the WTA Championships, defeating Misake Doi 6-2, 6-3, in the first round of the HP Open in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old Israeli, who reached a career-best ranking of No. 13 in the world this week, will next face Japan’s Ryoko Fuda (215) for a place in the quarterfinals.
The prestigious season-ending women’s tournament will be taking place in Doha, Qatar, beginning October 26, and will include the top eight performers over the course of 2010, as judged by the tour’s system of awarding points in each tournament depending on how far a player reaches.
There will also be two alternates traveling to the Persian Gulf, and with Pe’er currently sitting in 13th place in the points-race and closing in on the top 10, a good showing in Osaka will increase the likelihood of her getting the nod, especially with some top players nursing injuries.
In other action at the HP Open, four-time champion Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan beat 16-year-old British qualifier Laura Robson 6-3, 6-3 to reach the second round.
On the men’s circuit, Andy Roddick and John Isner advanced to the second round of the Shanghai Masters Tuesday.
Roddick moved on after an ill Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany retired in the second set while trailing 6-3, 2-1.
Isner fought off five match points in the two tiebreakers to defeat Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot 4-6, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (7). Next up for the 20th-ranked Isner is Roger Federer, who received a bye in the first round. Roddick will face Guillermo Garcia- Lopez of Spain in the next round.