Venus Williams and Vera Zvonareva registered second-round victories at the Advanta Championships in Philadelphia on Thursday to remain in the chase for places in next week's lucrative end-of-season tournament. Fifth seed Williams of the US, who is battling her sister Serena, Zvonareva and Jennifer Capriati for the two remaining berths in the $3 million WTA Tour Championships, moved into the quarter-finals by defeating Ukraine's Yuliana Fedak 6-4, 2-6, 7-6.
Earlier, sixth-seeded Russian Zvonareva, who must win in Philadelphia to clinch a spot in the elite eight-player field in Los Angeles next week, also needed three sets to oust Nathalie Dechy of France 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Top seed and defending champion Amelie Mauresmo of France, looking for her fifth title of the season and second in as many weeks, swept past Czech Republic's Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-2.
SECOND ROUND RESULTS: (prefix number denotes seeding, * new result):
5-Venus Williams (US) beat Yuliana Fedak (Ukraine) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4); * 2-Anastasia Myskina (Russia) beat Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios (Paraguay) 6-4, 7-6 (7-0); * 8-Alicia Molik (Australia) beat Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 7-5, 6-3; 1-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-2;6-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Nathalie Dechy (France) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; * 7-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Amy Frazier (US) 6-4, 6-3.