April 14, 2002	Sunday	Muharram 30, 1423

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AMELIA ISLAND (Florida), April 13: Top-seeded Venus Williams became the first player to reach the semifinals of the $585,000 WTA event here on Friday with a quick 6-3, 6-1 victory over Paola Suarez of Argentina.

For the third straight day, the tournament was hampered by rain and the field will now have to play quarterfinals followed by the semifinals on Saturday.

The remaining quarter-final matches pit second-seeded Justine Henin of Belgium against sixth-seeded Silvia Farina Elia, third-seeded Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia against 10th-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia and fifth-seeded Sandrine Testud against Anne Kremer of Luxembourg.

Henin played efficient enough to come from behind in both sets and secure a quarter-final berth, posting a decisive 6-3, 6-3 third-round victory over Tathiana Garbin of Italy in one hour, 23 minutes.

Third-seeded Jelena Dokic earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland.

Farina Elia spent an abbreviated 35-minutes on court earning the first set 6-2 lead when Janette Husarova retired at that point in the match with a left thigh strain.

Kremer scored a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 third-round win over Elena Likhovtseva of Russia.

RESULTS

Quarter-finals: Venus Williams (USA x1) bt Paola Suarez (Arg) 6-3, 6-1

Third round: Justine Henin (Bel x2) bt Tathiana Garbin (Ita) 6-3, 6-3; Jelena Dokic (Yug x3) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (Swi) 6-3, 6-4; Sandrine Testud (Fra x5) bt Conchita Martinez (Spa) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6); Silvia Farina Elia (Ita x6) bt Janette Husarova (Svk) 6-2, retired; Elena Dementieva (Rus x10) bt Nathalie Dechy (Fra) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3; Anne Kremer (Lux) bt Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2