Rezai takes straight-set win in Italy

PALERMO, Italy, July 15 (UPI) -- No. 2-seeded Aravane Rezai took a straight-set win Thursday and earned a spot in the quarterfinals of the Palermo International tennis tournament in Italy.

Rezai stopped Mariana Duque Marino 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 with service breaks in each set. Marino served and got the first point of the tie-breaker but Rezai won seven of the next ninth points and then had an early second-set break to move into position for the win.

All four of the second-round matches Thursday were decided in two sets.

Sara Errani, the No. 3 seed, defeated Mirjana Lucic 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) by holding serve eight of nine times in the match.

Fifth-seeded Kaia Kanepi had little trouble in a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ioana Raluca Olaru. Kanepi won 64 percent of the points from Olaru.

Wild-card entrant Romina Oprandi got past Masa Zec Peskiric 6-4, 7-5 behind six service breaks.

Rezai will go against Oprandi and Errani is to play Kanepi in Friday's quarterfinals. Second-round matches Wednesday set up quarterfinal pairings between top-seeded Flavia Pennetta and Nuria Llagostera Vives while eighth-seeded Julia Goerges plays Jill Craybas.