MOSCOW, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Fellow Russians Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova Wednesday won their matches at the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow.
Sharapova, who won the U.S. Open in September, beat qualifier and fellow Russian Ekaterina Bychkova 6-4, 7-5; while Petrova was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany.
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Third-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova was beaten by compatriot Vera Zvonareva, 6-1, 6-3; and No. 6 seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland downed unseeded Chanda Rubin, 6-3, 6-0.
Other winners were Vera Zvonereva and Samantha Stosur.
In Thursday's key match, top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France will meet Russia's Elena Vesnina.
The tournament's eventual winner will collect $196,900.
