Australian Open 2011: Vera Zvonareva sets up Petra Kvitova quarter-final after easing past Iveta Benesova
World No 2 Vera Zvonareva overcame a slow start to ease past Iveta Benesova 6-4, 6-1 and move into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Zvonareva was broken early in the first set and was down 4-2 before she recovered to win the next four games and take a close opening set.
There were no such problems in the second as the second seed two ran away with the match to wrap up a comfortable victory in only 76 minutes.
"I was happy at the way I was able to come back when I was 4-2 down in the first set," she said.
Zvonareva, 26, now meets another Czech player, Petra Kvitova, in the final eight following Kvitova's 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Italian Flavia Pennetta.
"She's had a great run here and beaten Sam Stosur and now Flavia so I know how tough that match is going to be," Zvonareva said.
There were no such problems in the second as the second seed two ran away with the match to wrap up a comfortable victory in only 76 minutes.
"I was happy at the way I was able to come back when I was 4-2 down in the first set," she said.
Zvonareva, 26, now meets another Czech player, Petra Kvitova, in the final eight following Kvitova's 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Italian Flavia Pennetta.
"She's had a great run here and beaten Sam Stosur and now Flavia so I know how tough that match is going to be," Zvonareva said.
Zvonareva is looking to win her first grand slam after finishing runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
The Russian, who has a chance to move up to world No 1 after the Open if results go her way, said she was improving every time she took to the Melbourne Park courts.
"I had a little bit of a slow start to the tournament but I have picked it up in every match," she said. "That's how you want it to be at a grand slam."
Zvonareva's win has ensured there has now been a Russian quarter-finalist at the Australian Open every year since 2003.
Meanwhile, China's Peng Shuai wasted two match points against Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska before crashing out 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in the fourth round.
Twelfth seed Radwanska outlasted Peng in three tight sets to win a tense battle in 2hr 44min on the Margaret Court Arena.
The Russian, who has a chance to move up to world No 1 after the Open if results go her way, said she was improving every time she took to the Melbourne Park courts.
"I had a little bit of a slow start to the tournament but I have picked it up in every match," she said. "That's how you want it to be at a grand slam."
Zvonareva's win has ensured there has now been a Russian quarter-finalist at the Australian Open every year since 2003.
Meanwhile, China's Peng Shuai wasted two match points against Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska before crashing out 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in the fourth round.
Twelfth seed Radwanska outlasted Peng in three tight sets to win a tense battle in 2hr 44min on the Margaret Court Arena.
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