Roland Garros finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova overcame a nightmare beginning to qualify for the quarter-finals of a windy Eastbourne on Tuesday. The Russian recovered from losing the opening set amid a flurry of errors to oust Japan's Ai Sugiyama 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Her 90-minute victory completed a hat-trick for one of the world's strongest tennis nations after fifth seed Anastasia Myskina and Vera Dushevina won their first round matches. The country was guaranteed a fourth winner with Anna Chakvetadze due to face Vera Zvonareva.
FIRST ROUND: Anastasia Myskina (RUS x5) bt Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK) 6-3, 6-0; Vera Dushevina (RUS) bt Anne Keothavong (GBR) 6-1, 6-3; Jill Craybas (USA) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-3, 6-1; Anne-Lena Groenefeld (GER x7) bt Marion Bartoli (FRA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; Kveta Peschke (CZE) bt Mara Santangelo (ITA) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5; Akiko Morigami (JPN) bt Lisa Raymond (USA) 6-4, 6-4.