Pe'er reaches round of 16 at Indian Wells

Isarel's top women tennis player overcame Lucie Safarova 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in the third round of the Pacific Life Open.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, AP
peer loses 298.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
peer loses 298.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
Isarel's top women tennis player Shahar Pe'er continued her good form as of late defeating Czech Lucie Safarova 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in the third round of the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, California, on Monday. The 11th-seeded Pe'er managed to regain her composure after a poor second set to beat the 19th seeded Safarova. In another women's third-round match, top-ranked and defending champion Maria Sharapova of Russia stayed on course to repeat with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Nathalie Dechy of France. Sharapova's next opponent will be No. 15 seed Vera Zvonareva, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenko. Other seeded women advancing were: Martina Hingis (3), Jelena Jankovic (7), Anna Chakvetadze (8), Na Li (12), former event winner Daniela Hantuchova (14) and Vera Zvonerva (15). Meanwhile, in the men's tournament, Roger Federer, who has won seven straight tournaments and was closing in on Guillermo Vilas' 30-year-old record of 47 straight victories, was stunned by Guillermo Canas of Argentina 7-5, 6-2 in the second round. "Today was just a grind for me from the start," said Federer, the three-time defending tournament champion. "A first-round match is always difficult. But I've had an incredible run, not losing in the first round for, I think, over two years. Sooner or later it had to happen, so it's OK, it's no problem." Despite the loss, the Swiss star began Monday as the No. 1 player on the ATP Tour for a record 163rd consecutive week.