Seeds survive tough Spanish WTA matches

MARBELLA, Spain, April 4 (UPI) -- Seeded players Alexandra Dulgheru, Klara Zakopalova and Sara Errani survived three-set challenges Monday in first-round play at a WTA tournament in Spain.

The event is called the Andalusia Tennis Experience.

Dulgheru, the No. 4 seed, needed nearly 3 hours to get past Anastasia Pivovarova 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (5-7), 7-5. Dulgheru posted nine service breaks in 18 games but dropped her own serve eight times.

The sixth-seeded Zakopalova had fewer points (92-91) than Anastasiya Yakimova but still came away a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 winner.

Errani, seeded eighth, lost six consecutive games in the first set before rallying for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea. She forced just one break point on Cirstea in the first set but had 17 chances for breaks -- finishing off five of them -- in the other two sets.

Seventh-seeded Roberta Vinci was ousted by Sandra Zahlavova 7-5, 6-3, winning just half of the points on serve.

Monday's other match Laura Pous-Tio run past Polona Hercog 6-1, 6-2 in 67 minutes.