Connect to share and comment



Former French Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova exited the ATP/WTA Portugal Open on Thursday, a bitter 6-2, 6-2 quarter-final victim of Swiss outsider Romina Oprandi.

"Unfortunately this was just one of those days where I wish I didn't even step on the court," complained the 27-year-old wildcard who won the French Open in 2009, five years after lifting the US Open.

"It was just a horrible match, I haven't played that badly for a long time. Romina's style of play doesn't give you any rhythm to get into the match, which is a good tactic for her.

"My movement wasn't there today. I'm pretty sad about the performance."

Kuznetsova, who was playing the main draw at the clay event for the first time, lost in 63 minutes after never earning a break point and losing her own serve four times against the 53rd-ranked Swiss.

Oprandi will be playing in her third career semi-final at the WTA level, with her last appearance in a final four coming in the Netherlands in 2011.

"Of course I'm excited to be in a semi-final again, but I can't look any further ahead than the next match. It will be tough," the winner said of her Friday contest against third seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated compatriot and number seven Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3).

That marathon took two and three-quarter hours, with the Martina Hingis-coached winner advancing with eight aces and five breaks of serve.

Spanish fourth seed Carla Suarez Navarro, the runner-up in 2012 to Kaia Kanepi, beat Monica Puig of Puerto Rico 6-2, 6-4.

Kanepi was lining up against Japan's Ayumi Morita to complete the day's WTA lineup.