Schnyder finds her feet on clay to rout Raymond

NEW YORK, Apr 6 (Reuters) Second seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland cruised into the third round of the Amelia Island Tennis Tournament with a routine 6-2 6-2 victory over American veteran Lisa Raymond.

On a day when a majority of seeded players eased through their second round matches, number six Elena Likhovtseva of Russia and eighth ranked Flavia Pennetta of Italy both suffered surprise defeats at the claycourt event.

Schnyder's victory sets up a match against Russian Vera Dushevina, but the Swiss world number nine was far from satisfied with her performance.

''It was not a really good start today,'' Schnyder told reporters after her match yesterday.

''She hit great shots at first and we had good rallies. I felt good, though, and I thought if I kept up my strong game I could control and win.

''It was my first time on clay (this season) and I moved well.'' Likhovtseva was upset by Julia Schruff 6-4 6-4, with the unseeded German moving on to play American Jill Craybas, who defeated Karolina Sprem of Croatia 6-7 6-4 6-1.

Schruff feels she benefited from having to play an extra match efore taking on the Russian, who received a first round bye.

''I think it was good for me to have one match before today,'' Schruff told reporters.

''I could get used to the clay court. It might have been hard for her with a bye because she came straight from hard court.

''I think I used my drop shot really well against her.'' KUZNETSOVA STRUGGLES Fresh from her victory in Miami last week, fifth-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova struggled in her match against Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson before finally emerging with a 6-1 5-7 6-2 triumph in their second round encounter.

The former U.S. Open champion will now meet Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues after the 11th seed stopped Ukrainian lucky loser Olga Savchuk 6-1 7-5.

Italy's Pennetta was woeful in her match against Elena Vesnina, the Russian romping to a 6-2 6-2 victory to set up a last 16 match against Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual.

Ninth seeded Dinara Safina of Russia also enjoyed a safe passage into the third round with a 6-2 6-0 demolition of Israel's Shahar Peer 6-2 6-0.

Seventh-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany defeated Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3 6-4 to set up a match against Safina.

The tournament top seed Nadia Petrova will be in action today, when the Russian will take on Meghann Shaughnessy after the American advanced with a 7-5 6-4 victory over Australia's Samantha Stosur yesterday.

Reuters DH DB1131