Three upsets in Estoril quarterfinals

ESTORIL, Portugal, May 7 (UPI) -- Defending champion Maria Kirilenko was among three highly seeded players failing to advance in quarterfinal play at the $220,000 Estoril Open in Portugal.

In addition to the second-seeded Kirilenko, No. 3-seeded Sorana Cirstea and fourth-seeded Sabine Lisicki were eliminated. Only seventh-seeded Shahar Peer avoided an upset Thursday in the clay-court tournament.

Kirilenko was beaten 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 by Ekaterina Makarova, who broke Kirilenko's serve six times. Makarova, seeded sixth, dropped serve just once in the decisive second and third sets. She is looking for her second consecutive WTA finals appearance.

Cirstea fell 6-4,1-6, 6-4 in a tight match with Yanina Wickmayer and Anna-Lena Groenefeld advanced when Lisicki retired due to a right shoulder strain. Groenefeld was ahead 6-2 when the match was called.

Peer didn't win a game in the second set but pulled out a 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 win over Jarmila Groth.

Makarova is paired against Groenefeld and Peer meets Wickmayer in Friday's semifinals.

The Estoril champion will earn $37,000.