Schnyder among Qatar first-round winners

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Fifth-seeded Patty Schnyder claimed a three-set victory Tuesday in first-round play of the $1.34 million Qatar Open tennis tournament.

Schnyder, the highest seeded player on the court Tuesday, ousted Aravane Rezai 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 to move into the tournament's second round.

Seventh-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld wasn't as lucky, dropping a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 decision to Kateryna Bondarenko in her first-round match.

Maria Kirilenko has little trouble dispatching Anne Kremer 6-1, 6-2 and Alicia Molik was ahead 0-6, 6-2, 3-1 when Ai Sugiyama retired with a foot injury. Other winners Tuesday were Anabel Medina Garrigues, Maria Elena Camerin, Eleni Daniilidou and Julia Goerges.

The top four seeds of the Qatar Open -- Justine Henin, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Martina Hingis and Jelena Jankovic -- had first-round byes.

The eventual tournament champion will earn $222,000.