Iroda Tulyaganova back in tennis, upsets top-seeded Bartoli
Fox Sports
October 13Local favorite Iroga Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan produced a major upset Tuesday, eliminating top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the US$140,000 Tashkent Open tennis tournament.
Second-seeded Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States advanced to the second round with a straight-sets victory 6-2, 6-2 over Japanese qualifier Ryoko Fuda.
Shaughnessy, 46th in the WTA Tour rankings, served hard, making two breaks in each set. She is looking for her third career singles title.
"I tried to play aggressively and made some mistakes," said Shaughnessy.
"I felt good and played good. I do not look at the tournament considering myself as a favorite, but I will fight. That is why I am here."
Tulyaganova, 22, was playing her first match since being sidelined for a year and a half after arm surgery.
She was ranked No. 16 on the WTA Tour in June 2003 and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon - her last tournament before the surgery.
Tulyaganova took a 3-0 lead in the opening set but Bartoli leveled 4-4 before the Uzbek made a decisive break in the tenth game to take the lead.
In the second set, both players traded breaks three times with Tulyaganova winning the tenth game again for her first victory to the delight of an almost sellout crowd at the Tashkent Tennis Center.
"I'm happy with my start, specially making my debut after a long break in my home country in front of the faithful supporters," Tulyganova said.
Two more seeded players were upset Tuesday.
Mara Sattangelo of Italy ousted fourth-seeded Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, while Russia's Evgenia Linetskay downed eighth-seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.