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Updated at 8:13 a.m., Friday, July 18, 2008

Tennis: Top-seeded Szavay survives 4 match points

Associated Press

BAD GASTEIN, Austria — Top-seeded Agnes Szavay fought off four match points before defeating Melanie Klaffner of Austria 3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (3) today in the second round of the Gastein Ladies.

The 18-year-old Klaffner, ranked 320th, used one break to win the opening set and led 5-2 in the second. After failing to close out the match, Klaffner went up 5-2 again in the final set.

But Szavay broke back and converted her first match point in the tiebreaker.

In the quarterfinals, the 14th-ranked Hungarian will play seventh-seeded Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic, who defeated Galina Voskoboeva of Russia 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

On Thursday, rain suspended the match at 1-1 in the final set. Benesova won five straight games to wrap up the victory.

Earlier Friday, Mariya Koryttseva of Ukraine upset third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5). Wozniacki broke Koryttseva's serve seven times, but missed 14 other break points.

In the quarterfinals, Koryttseva will play Tereza Hladikova of Czech Republic, who beat Karolina Sprem of Croatia 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.

Fourth-seeded Pauline Parmentier of France earned a quarterfinal berth by defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

Parmentier's next opponent will be either Yvonne Meusburger or Maret Ani, who played later Friday.

Lucie Hradecka became the third player from Czech Republic to reach the quarterfinals by defeating fifth-seeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 6-1, 6-4.