Panova needs three sets to win in Baku

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 25 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Alexandra Panova rallied for a three-set, second-round victory Wednesday at the Baku Cup tennis tournament in Azerbaijan.

Heat was again at issue with temperatures in the upper 90s degrees Fahrenheit through Wednesday's play. Temperatures of more than 100 degrees contributed to an illness that led to top-seeded Ksenia Pervak retiring from a match Tuesday.

Panova saved 9-of-11 break points en route to a 4-6, 76- (8-6), 6-3 win over Sandra Zaniewska. She fought off five break chances in the third set while getting two of her three breaks of the day in the set.

No. 3-seeded Mandy Minella beat Marta Domachowska 6-4, 7-5. She also faced a series of break points but lost her serve just once despite nine break-point chances for Domachowska.

Fifth-seeded Bojana Jovanovski, despite dropping serve three times, defeated Valeria Solovieva and No. 6-seeded Nina Bratchikova advanced when Estrella Cabeza Candela retired prior to the second set. Bratchikova won the first set 6-0.

Magdalena Rybarikova rolled past Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-0 in 48 minutes. Rybarikova took 71 percent of the points overall and 24-of-30 on serve.

Also Wednesday, Julia Cohen topped Alla Kudryavtseva 6-1, 6-4; Olga Puchkova got by Alberta Brianti 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1; and Aleksandra Krunic topped Laura Pous-Tio 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

The quarterfinal pairings have Cohen playing Rybarikova and Puchkova meeting (Minella) in the top of the draw. The other matches pit Panova versus Bratchikova and Jovanovski against Krunic.