Ivanovic avoids upset in Brisbane

Jan 7, 2009 - 3:02 PM BRISBANE, Australia (Ticker) -- Ana Ivanovic rallied just in time to escape an embarrassing upset.

The top-seeded Serb escaped with a 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-1 victory over Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci at the Brisbane International on Wednesday.

Ivanovic, the world No. 5, committed five double faults and faced five break points, saving four, in the opening set as Vinci claimed the early advantage.

Despite another shaky set, the 21-year-old managed to even the match before blitzing the 82nd-ranked Vinci in the third to book her spot in the quarterfinals.

Awaiting Ivanovic is fifth-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, who survived a 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (13-11) marathon against compatriot Julie Coin.

The encounter took just under 3 hours, 15 minutes to complete - the longest match in Mauresmo's career.

"I'm just glad that I won it because it would have really been the 'missed-occasions match' if I didn't," said Mauresmo, 29. "That's the good and positive point for today. Other than that it was a lot of ups and downs and frustration."

Italian Sara Errani also advanced to the round of eight with a 6-7 (3-7), 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova.

Errani advanced to face Olga Govortsova of Belarus, a 6-0, 5-7, 7-5 winner against Bulgarian qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva.

First prize is $37,000.