CHARLESTON, S.C., April 16 (UPI) -- Venus Williams was, surprisingly, eliminated Thursday in the third round of the Family Circle Cup and No. 1 seed Elena Dementieva easily advanced.
Sabine Lisicki, ranked 63rd in the world, trailed in both sets only to overcome the second-seeded Williams 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
Dementieva coasted past Varvara Lepchenko 6-1, 6-1 to set up a quarterfinal match with seventh-seeded Dominika Cibulkova.
Vera Zvonareva, who lost to Serena Williams in last year's Family Circle Cup final, was forced to retire in her match with Virginie Razzano. Zvonareva twisted an ankle with the match tied at 1-1 in the opening set.
Melinda Czink surprised fourth seed Nadia Petrova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5; Caroline Wozniacki was a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Peng Shuai; and Marion Bartoli defeated Melanie Oudin 6-4, 6-1.
Wozniacki is coming off a clay-court victory last week in Florida.
