Stuttgart, Germany (Sports Network) - The last four women's Grand Slam
champions, including world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka and Wimbledon titlist
Petra Kvitova, were all on Thursday's second-round schedule at the star-
studded $740,000 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
The top-seeded Australian Open titlist Azarenka was leading crowd
favorite Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 4-4 when the German star retired because of a
right ankle injury. "Petko" returned from a back-induced three-month injury
layoff just this week.
Azarenka's quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be another German, wild card
Mona Barthel, who upended seventh-seeded former Wimbledon runner-up Marion
Bartoli, of France. 6-3, 6-1.
A third-seeded Kvitova, meanwhile, drubbed last year's French Open runner-up
and 2010 Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-2 on the indoor red
clay at Porsche Arena.
Also, fifth-seeded U.S. Open champ Samantha Stosur held off German favorite
and defending Stuttgart titlist Julia Goerges 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 and eighth-seeded
French Open champ Li Na handled Uzbekistani lucky-loser Akgul Amanmuradova
6-4, 6-4. Goerges became the first German champion here in 17 years (Anke
Huber) last year by stunning then-world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the
Porsche finale.
Up next for the Australian Stosur will be second-seeded Aussie Open and
Wimbledon runner-up Maria Sharapova, while the Chinese Li will encounter
rising fourth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska. Stosur was the runner-up in
Stuttgart two years ago.
A sixth-seeded Wozniacki is playing in Thursday's nightcap against Germany's
Angelique Kerber, who surprised the Danish star in a final in Copenhagen just
two weeks ago.
The 2012 Stuttgart winner will claim $37,000 and a new Porsche.
The Sports Network