General / Editor / 01 May 2007 /

Nadia Petrova backers will have taken heart from her battling 6-3 7-5 win over Katarzyna Piter in the J&S Cup in Warsaw.

The 24-year-old 8.8 tournament fancy missed the French Open and Wimbledon last year because of injury but still picked up three clay-court titles and looks a strong contender for this event.

Petrova was satisfied with her victory over Piter of Poland given that she is not yet firing on all cylinders.

"I was playing against two opponents," said Russia's world number nine, who will now face Mara Santangelo. "One was on the other side of the net and one was on the same side as I was.

"I really had a difficult time because last week I didn't do much practising."

She added: "The previous week I played Fed Cup and that was indoors so it was completely different conditions."

Defending champion Kim Clijsters, playing her only clay court tournament of her farewell season, can be backed at 6.4 to triumph and is seeded second behind fellow Belgian and tournament favourite, Justine Henin (2.54).

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