Schiavone advances in Seoul

Seoul - Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone fought her way into the WTA Korea Open quarter-finals as tournament seeds tumbled on Wednesday.

The unseeded Italian, 33, seeking her second title of the year, overcame France's Virginie Razzano in three sets 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the last eight for the first time since June.

Russian third seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova eased past Korean wildcard Lee Ye-Ra 6-4, 6-1, but German seeds Julia Goerges and Annika Beck both fell by the wayside.

Sixth-seeded Goerges, the world number 49, capitulated 6-4, 6-0 to Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu, while Russian Vera Dushevina ousted eighth seed Beck 6-3, 7-5.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Kirilenko of Russia, the top two seeds, will play their second round matches on Thursday.

World number four Radwanska will be in action against Spain's Estrella Cabeza Candela, while Kirilenko faces Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm.

Results from the WTA Korea Open tennis on Wednesday:

Second round:
Vera Dushevina (RUS) bt Annika Beck (GER x8) 6-3, 7-5
Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) bt Alexandra Dulgheru (ROM) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM) bt Julia Goerges (GER x6) 6-4, 6-0
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x3) bt Lee Ye-Ra (KOR) 6-4, 6-1
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) bt Virginie Razzano (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3