By JERUSALEM POST STAFFTzipi Obziler remained hot in New Zealand Tuesday with a straight sets win over a player ranked 56 spots ahead of her in the WTA world rankings, but Shahar Pe'er did not fare as well, losing her opening-round match at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Obziler, ranked 136, defeated American Jamea Jackson (80) 6-2, 6-3 to set up a meeting with fifth seed defending champion Katarina Srebotnik (27) of Slovenia in the second round. Obziler has defeated Srebotnik once in the past, but that was back in 2001 in a Fed Cup match on clay.
Pe'er (45) trailed Korean Yoon Jeong Cho (75) 7-6(0), 2-0 when weather caused the cancellation of play on Monday and was unable to turn the match around Tuesday as Cho took the second set 6-4 to book a spot in the next round. The teenager will slip several spots in next week's rankings since she failed to defend the points gained last years when she climbed to the quarterfinals of the event.
Pe'er will remain in Auckland to compete in the doubles event with Russian partner Vera Dushevina. They are scheduled meet Jelena Kostanic of Croatia and German Martina Muller in the first round on Wednesday.
The only other Israel players still active this week, doubles stars Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich, will not play their quarterfinals match at the Adelaide International in Australia until Thursday, at the earliest.