Voskoboeva wins opener in Thailand

PATTAYA, Thailand, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Galina Voskoboeva rallied for a three-set victory Monday in first-round play of the $220,000 Pattaya Open tennis tournament in Thailand.

Voskoboeva dropped the first set but was strong after that in a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Jarmila Groth. Voskoboeva had Groth on the defensive much of the match, backing Groth into 18 break-point situations in the opener of the hard-court tournament.

Voskoboeva moves into a second-round meeting against fifth-seeded Peng Shuai, who advanced when Mara Santangelo retired due to illness. Santangelo won the first set 6-3 but was losing the second 2-5 when she retired.

Other first-round matches Monday saw Vera Dushevina defeat Elena Bovina 6-4, 7-5, and Ksenia Pervak post a 6-1, 6-1 win over Tomoko Yonemura.

Top-seeded Vera Zvonareva has her first match of the tournament Tuesday against Andreja Klepac.

Agnieszka Radwanska won last year's Pattaya Open but it not defending her title.