Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo cruised into the quarter-finals of the Proximus Diamond Games with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Czech Iveta Benesova on Thursday.
Despite a seemingly comfortable win for the second seed, Maureso said there was still better to come.
"I am just glad to get through and hope to play better tomorrow," she told reporters.
The French world number two and defending champion is sure to face a tougher encounter on Friday when she faces sixth seed Patty Schnyder.
The Swiss had the luxury of a extra day of rest on Thursday. She was to due to face Kveta Peschke in the second round, but the Czech player was forced to miss the tie with a foot injury picked up on Wednesday.
Mauresmo is aiming for a third tour title in succession.
"The sight of the diamond racquet motivates me everytime I go on court," she said. "Last year I won an exceptional final. This is a special tournament for me."
Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian Olga Savchuk upset ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-3 to book a quarter-final place against Russia's Nadia Petrova.
The qualifier completely outplayed the Slovak world number 14, ranked 99 places above her, to reach her first full WTA Tour last-eight contest of the year.
Russia's Elena Dementieva reached the last eight of the Belgian event with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Poland's Marta Domachowska.
The fifth seed made light work of the opening set, but errors on her notoriously shaky serve allowed Domachowska to hold on for the tie-break, which the Russian took 7-5.
Dementieva now faces Greece's Elena Daniilidou on Friday for a place in the last four.
© 2024 Rediff.com -