VILLANOVA, Pa., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Vera Zvonareva's chances for the WTA Tour Championships took a hit Tuesday in a first-round loss to American Lisa Raymond at the Advanta Championships.
Ranked 12th in the world, Zvonareva was one of five players vying for three spots in the exclusive season-ending tournament. But the sixth-seeded Russian bowed out early with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 setback.
Just 19, Zvonareva has climbed the rankings by playing deep into tournaments. She has reached nine quarterfinals, including the French Open and Indian Wells, a trio of semifinals and her second career title in Bol, Croatia in May.
In her last two events, Zvonareva has lost to the eventual champion, which may bode well for Raymond. She won in Memphis earlier this year, her fourth career victory.
No. 9 Meghann Shaughnessy, the only other seed in action, breezed past Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany, 6-3, 6-2.
