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Schnyder wins as Groenefeld beaten

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DOHA, Qatar -- Fifth seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland overcame a mid-match crisis to defeat Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai 6-2 2-6 6-2 in the first round of the WTA Tour's $1.3 million Qatar Open on Tuesday.

However, seventh-seeded German Anna-Lena Groenefeld fell by the wayside, losing to Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko who posted a hard-fought 7-5 4-6 6-3 win.

Schnyder plays Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues, a surprise 3-6 6-3 6-2 winner over American Meghann Shaughnessy, while Bondarenko meets India's Sania Mirza in the second round.

"The first match is always a bit difficult, but I think overall I played well," said Schnyder. "She (Rezai) played quite well in the second set and I had problems with my serve."

Groenefeld showed grit and determination to come back in the second set but relied far too often on her power game and this proved her undoing.

The fleet-footed Bondarenko made the most her opponent's lack of mobility and lapses in concentration to recover from 0-2 down and win the decider.

The 2005 runner-up Alicia Molik advanced to the second round when her Japanese opponent Ai Sugiyama retired with a foot injury in the third set with the Australian leading 0-6 6-2 3-1.

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