Defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne made it lucky 13 here on Thursday as she reached the quarter-finals of this 1.34 million-dollar WTA Clay Court Tournament.
The top-seeded Belgian beat Croatian Karolina Sprem 6-4, 6-4 to improve to 13-0 in the event, which she won in 2003 and missed in 2004 before returning to reclaim the title in 2005.
Henin-Hardenne, who already has won events at Sydney and Dubai this year, will face Russian Dinara Safina, who beat Ukranian Julia Vakulenko 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-2, in Friday's quarter-finals.
Second-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia also advanced to the quarter-finals, besting 14th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova 6-1, 6-3.
Petrova, who won her second title of the year and third career last Sunday at Amelia Island, Florida, next will face Catalina Castano.
The Columbian advanced when Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli retired in the first set with a knee injury. Castano was leading 5-4.
Third-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 win over 16th-seeded Mara Santangelo of Italy.
She will meet Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy, who beat Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-2, 6-3. Fourth-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova rolled over Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2, 6-1 and will meet sixth-seeded German Anna-Lena Groenefeld, a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 winner over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.
Collated Results (x denotes seed):
THIRD ROUND: Patty Schnyder (SUI x3) bt Mara Santangelo (ITA) 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3; Dinara Safina (RUS x7) bt Julia Vakulenko (UKR) 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-2; Nathalie Dechy (FRA x8) bt Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 6-2, 6-3; Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL x1) bt Karolina Sprem (CRO) 6-4, 6-4; Catalina Castano (COL) bt Marion Bartoli (FRA) 5-4, ret; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x4) bt Lourdes Dominguez (ESP) 6-2, 6-1; Nadia Petrova (RUS x2) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE) 6-1, 6-3; Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER x6) bt Anabel Medina (ESP) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
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