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Stosur, Flipkens advance in three sets in Hobart

Kirsten Flipkens, shown at last year's Wimbledon Championships, claimed a three-set win Wednesday that put her into the quarterfinals of the Hobart International tennis tournament in Austrasia. UPI/Hugo Philpott
Kirsten Flipkens, shown at last year's Wimbledon Championships, claimed a three-set win Wednesday that put her into the quarterfinals of the Hobart International tennis tournament in Austrasia. UPI/Hugo Philpott | License Photo

HOBART, Australia, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Top seeds Samantha Stosur and Kirsten Flipkens both won in three sets Wednesday in advancing to the quarterfinals of the Hobart International tennis tournament.

Stosur, the No. 1 seed, escaped Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (9-7). Stosur dropped serve twice in both of the first two sets but was able to convert her only break chance of the third set before deciding the match in the extended tiebreaker.

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Flipkens, seeded second, edged by Storm Sanders 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5) despite three breaks in each of the first two sets and two more in the third.

Both of the matches took more than 2 1/2 hours to complete.

Monica Niculescu topped sixth-seeded Mona Barthel 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 and seventh-seeded Klara Zakopalova routed Zhang Shuai 6-1, 6-2, losing nine points in her seven games serving.

Wednesday's other two matches were stopped early due to retirements. Estrella Cabeza Candela was ahead 4-6, 6-2, 4-1 when third-seeded Elena Vesnina was unable to continue and Garbine Muguruza built a 4-1 lead before Yanina Wickmayer was forced to stop play.

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