27 August,2009 07:12 AM IST | | AFP
Top-seeded Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova booked their quarter-final berths yesterday at the Pilot Pen hardcourt tournament, last tune-up for the US Open.
Davydenko, who heads the men's field, defeated France's Fabrice Santoro 7-5, 6-3 to advance.
French Open champion Kuznetsova clawed her way past Belgian teenager Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/2). Defending women's champion and second seed Caroline Wozniacki also advanced to the quarter-finals, defeating rising Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 6-4.
Kuznetsova, who won here two years ago, will play eighth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France in the quarter-finals tonight.
Kuznetsova admitted she lost focus at times, and said she knows she'll need to do better if she wants a shot at another Grand Slam title in New York.
"I still have it, so I appreciate that I have it, but I have to work on closing out things when I have the chance to," she said. Wickmayer earned a break in the third set to give herself a chance to serve for the match, but Kuznetsova broke her back and went on to force the tiebreaker. "I knew at five-all that if I wanted to win the match, I would have to play perfect," Wickmayer said.
