Straight sets win for Henin
2007-10-04 22:00
Stuttgart - World number one Justine Henin looked every inch the favourite for Stuttgart's WTA tournament as she reached the last eight with a straight sets win over Russia's Dinara Safin - even if she didn't feel well.
Henin, 25, had to work hard - and battle a cold - to take the first set 6-4 against Safina, ranked 17th in the world, who matched the Belgian's hard-hitting game at Stuttgart's Porsche Arena on Thursday.
But Henin showed the sort of form which has seen her win the US Open and Roland Garros this year with some superb touches to leave the Russian frustrated and well beaten as she took the second set 6-1.
After three weeks off having not played since winning last month's US Open, Henin admitted she was feeling fresh, apart from a touch of illness.
"It wasn't easy playing a player ranked in the top 20 first up, it was my first match for three weeks," she sniffed after her second round win.
"And I have been feeling a bit sick for the last few days.
"It doesn't help with the crazy European weather at the moment, freezing one day, hot the next and it is quite hot in the arena.
"But I was pleased with my performance and she put me under pressure."
Earlier in the day, Serbia's Ana Ivanovic admitted she was disappointed to crash out when she was beaten by qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round.
The 19-year-old fifth seed had been chasing her fourth WTA title of the year and had been in great form in Wednesday's first round tie when she steam-rolled Switzerland's Patty Schnyder in straight sets.
Never allowed her to settle
But Ivanovic struggled badly in losing the first set 6-2 as the Ukrainian never allowed her to settle and although Ivanovic raised her game to take the second 6-1, Bondarenko broke her in the third and served out for a 6-3 win.
The Serb, who has won the Berlin, Los Angeles and last week's Luxembourg tournaments so far this season, flies home to her Basel base to prepare for the Zurich Open which starts on October 15.
"I am very disappointed I am out, I felt good coming here" said Ivanovic, ranked fifth in the world.
"Kateryna played an amazing match and didn't make many mistakes.
"I raised my game in the second, but she had answers to all my questions."
"I had been really pumped up for my game with Patty Schnyder on Wednesday, because she is always tough, and I felt drained after the win.
"So I was pretty flat today and I couldn't get my rhythm."
Bondarenko, 46th in the world, said the win over Ivanovic was the biggest win of her career so far and will now meet France's Tatiana Golovin in the quarter-finals, who put out fourth seed Anna Chakvetadze on Wednesday.
Defending champion Nadia Petrova had few problems as she made the last eight when she beat qualifier Michaella Krajicek from the Netherlands 6-1, 6-2.
Petrova, seeded seventh, will face third seed Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-finals after the Serb bounced back from losing the first set to claim an impressive 4-6 6-1 6-3 win over Israel's Shahar Peer.
Jankovic finished the third set in obvious discomfort from cramp in her leg, but never let it affect her game as she dominated Peer to set up her showdown with Petrova.
"She is playing very well and I will have to play well if I am going to beat her," said Jankovic ahead of Friday's quarter-final.