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Pavlyuchenkova Ousts 2nd-Seeded Safarova at Kremlin Cup

MOSCOW — Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia ousted second-seeded Lucie Safarova from the Kremlin Cup 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-3 on Wednesday, reducing the Czech player's chances of making the season-ending WTA finals.

Safarova's second-round loss guaranteed a spot in Singapore next week for Germany's Angelique Kerber.

The last two spots were still up for grabs, and U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta also was in Moscow in hope of securing one of them. She advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-4 win Wednesday over Daria Gavrilova of Russia.

After easily taking the first set, Pavlyuchenkova went up 5-2 in the second, but then lost the next three games and failed to convert her only match point in the set with Safarova serving at 6-5.