Sony Ericsson WTA Tour : 2006


Dementieva, Pierce, Safina Victorious in Paris

Russia's Elena Dementieva continued her winning ways as first round action was completed while Mary Pierce and Dinara Safina both won their respective second round encounters at the $600,000 Open Gaz de France on Wednesday

Dementieva, the No.5 seed at the Tier II event, cruised through to the second round with a 62 62 victory over Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson. Dementieva dictated play from the baseline throughout the 58-minute contest, breaking the Swede's serve a total of five times.

Pierce, the No.2 seed this week, kicked off her Open Gaz de France campaign with a 62 64 victory over Anabel Medina Garrigues. Pierce was put to the test during the one-hour, 19-minute contest, using her big serve and powerful groundstrokes to hit through the feisty Spaniard's impressive retrieving skills. The 31-year-old Frenchwoman was too good when it mattered most, serving impressively and converting on five of 10 break point opportunities, the last of which came in the very last game of the match.

Safina, the No.7 seed, continued to cruise through her Open Gaz de France title defense with a 64 63 victory over talented Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano. Safina continued her excellent serving week, finishing with a 70% first serve percentage and winning nearly three quarters of those points, but was also dangerous on Razzano's deliveries, winning over half of her return points and breaking the Frenchwoman a total of five times in the one-hour, 27-minute match.

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