Radwanska spoils Razzano's bid for title hat-trick

BANGKOK, Oct 11 (Reuters) Polish wildcard Urszula Radwanska ended fourth seed Virginie Razzano's hopes of a third straight WTA title with a 7-6 7-5 victory to reach the last eight of the Bangkok Open today.

The Frenchwoman spurned three chances to take the tightly contested first set and allowed the 17-year-old to edge ahead with a break at 6-5 in the second before the Pole held serve to book the first WTA quarter-final berth of her career.

Both players were carrying injuries and struggled towards the end of the three-hour duel, with Razzano hobbling and grimacing as her 543rd-ranked opponent played drop shots to pull her into the net.

Radwanska needed a medical timeout near the end of the match and had her right thigh and left ankle heavily taped up. ''It was a really difficult match, three hours, and it was very hot,'' Radwanska told reporters.

''I'm happy to beat her, she's been playing really well, she made it tough for me.

''I need to get treatment for this injury but I'm hoping to be okay for next match.'' Razzano was looking for her third straight title after successes in Guangzhou and Tokyo in the last two weeks.

Wimbledon champion Venus Williams finished off the final two games of her rain-suspended first-round match to beat Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-2.

Second-seeded Williams started her next match with local favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn two hours later.

In-form Israeli Shahar Peer, the third seed, eased into the quarter-finals with a 6-1 6-1 win over Russian Anastasia Rodionova.

She was joined by China's Yan Zi, who came from a set down to beat Olga Poutchkova of Russia 3-6 6-1 6-1 having reached round two as a result of top seed Jelena Jankovic's retirement with illness.

REUTERS PDS BST2000