AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Croatian qualifier Karolina Sprem boosted her comeback from a wrist injury by upending third-seeded Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the second round of the Bausch & Lomb Championships on Wednesday.
Sprem injured her wrist at the Italian Open in May, and didn't return to the tour until two weeks ago, when she lost in qualifying at Key Biscayne. The former top-20 player's ranking dropped to No. 296. This week she won two qualifying matches, beat Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama in her main draw opener, then stunned No. 10 Hantuchova for the third top-10 win of her career, and first since 2004.
Hantuchova, who lost to Sprem on clay four years ago, won the second set to force a third, where she missed five break points. However, Sprem grabbed her only break chance in the eighth game and served out.
"I don't think I did too many things wrong," Hantuchova said. "She was just playing incredible, going for every shot and almost everything going inside the court. Today she was just too good."
No. 5-seeded Patty Schnyder and No. 9 Sybille Bammer also were ousted, but No. 2 Anna Chakvetadze, No. 6 Dinara Safina, and No. 7 Agnieszka Radwanska were winners.
Former champion Amelie Mauresmo beat Sorana Cirstea of Romania 7-5, 6-1
It's the seventh tournament in eight this year that Mauresmo has reached the third round. She has yet to advance any farther.
Next up was Radwanska for the first time.
Mauresmo, seeded 11th this week, won the Bausch & Lomb in 2001 and reached the final on her last appearance in 2004.
Schnyder, a three-time quarterfinalist at Amelia Island, was upset by Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in their first meeting, and Bammer was outserved by Alize Cornet of France 6-1, 6-3.
Chakvetadze beat Japanese qualifier Ayumi Morita 6-3, 6-1.
"I didn't really play that consistent and as well as I wanted to play," Chakvetadze said. "But I think for the first match in this tournament and the first match on green clay, it was OK. I could do worse."
Chakvetadze overcame nine double faults by converting seven breaks of Morita's serve. For Chakvetadze, fixing her serve was now a priority.
"If it's a very tough match, like a third set and you're making nine double faults, that matters a lot," Chakvetadze said. "I just have to control myself more."
Russian compatriot Safina defeated Tatiana Perebiynis of Ukraine 6-3, 6-3. Radwanska edged Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-1).
No. 12 Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia swept Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4, while Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia beat No. 14 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 and will play Chakvetadze next.
