Kuznetsova, Petrova on collision course

INDIAN WELLS, California, Mar 10 (Reuters) Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova stayed on course for a possible semi-final encounter with straight-sets victories in the Pacific Life Open second round here.

Second-seeded Kuznetsova beat Italy's Romina Oprandi 7-5 6-3 on the stadium court after fourth-seeded Petrova had brushed aside Argentina's Gisela Dulko 6-3 6-4.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, broke her opponent once in each set before wrapping up victory in just under an hour and a half yesterday.

The Russian, a winner of three WTA Tour titles last year, clinched two of seven break points and next meets compatriot Elena Likhovtseva.

WTA veteran Likhovtseva upset another Russian, 26th-seeded Olga Poutchkova, 7-6 6-2 in an earlier match.

Petrova, who piled up five WTA titles in 2006 on her way to a career-high ranking of third, made relatively light work of Dulko, who had beaten her twice in three previous encounters.

The 24-year-old Moscow native broke the Argentine once in the opening set and three times in the second to ease through to the third round.

BACK FOOT Although Petrova rattled up eight double-faults, she fired down six aces and won four of six break points to keep her opponent on the back foot.

''I've struggled with her in the past and she's a really good counter-puncher and very fast about the court,'' Petrova told reporters.

''But I competed very well at the end, served better and was able to play a lot more aggressively.'' Petrova, who won the seventh WTA title of her career at last month's Paris Open, lost to Dulko in straights sets at Indian Wells in 2004.

Two other seeded players made premature exits on Saturday.

Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues, the 24th seed, lost 6-3 5-7 6-4 to Australia's Alicia Molik and Frenchwoman Severine Bremond, seeded 27th, went out 6-3 7-6 to American Laura Granville.

In other matches, 13th-seeded Tatiana Golovin of France knocked out Japan's Aiko Nakamura 6-0 7-5 and Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, the 10th seed, brushed aside American Vania King 6-3 6-0.

REUTERS SAM KP1223