15 October 2004	Friday	29 Shaban 1425

MOSCOW, Oct 14: Lindsay Davenport will take over the world number one spot from Amelie Mauresmo when the rankings are released next week after brushing aside Dinara Safina 6-4 6-2 on Thursday to reach the Kremlin Cup quarterfinals.

The 18-year-old Russian, the younger sister of 2000 U.S. Open champion Marat Safin, put up brave resistance in the first set, but the second seed still managed to run out a comfortable victory after 86 minutes.

The 28-year-old American, who trailed Mauresmo by 15 points at the start of the week, only needed to win her opening match in Moscow to take the top spot after the Frenchwoman withdrew from the $2.3 million tournament with a thigh injury.

"Of course I'm excited but I'd like to be able to keep going and win the tournament as a new number one and not be completely satisfied by just winning today's match," said Davenport, who will face unseeded Italian Francesca Schiavone on Friday.

Fifth seed Elena Dementieva also eased through to the last eight with a 6-3 6-3 win over Croatian qualifier Sandra Mamic to earn an eagerly-awaited rematch with fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, whom she lost to in the U.S. Open final.

Defending champion and third seed Myskina recovered from a slow start to oust her Russian Fed Cup team mate Elena Likhovtseva 2-6 6-1 6-0 and set up yet another all-Russian quarter-final with sixth seed Vera Zvonareva.

Former world number one Venus Williams also advanced, beating 18-year-old Vera Douchevina, one of several young Russians who have taken Second round results (prefix number denotes seeding, denotes new results):

MEN: Kenneth Carlsen (Denmark) beat Igor Andreev (Russia) 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-1 Greg Rusedski (Britain) beat 7-Filippo Volandri (Italy) 6-2 6-4

WOMEN: 7-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat Vera Douchevina (Russia) 6-0 6-4 3-Anastasia Myskina (Russia) beat Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 2-6 6-1 6-0 5-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Sandra Mamic (Croatia) 6-3 6-3 2-Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) beat Dinara Safina (Russia) 6-4 6-2

SRICHAPHAN BEATEN

VIENNA: Number five seed Paradorn Srichaphan was crushed 6-2 6-1 by Robby Ginepri in the second round of the Vienna Trophy on Thursday. The American's victory over the Thai took just 59 minutes as Paradorn struggled to find his rhythm from the first ball.

He double-faulted on the first point, dropped his serve to 15 and had to fight off three break points at 3-1. His only opportunity to turn the match around came in the sixth game when he held four break points and when Ginepri held serve the Thai gave a rare show of frustration by swiping the ground with his racket.

Spanish eighth seed Feliciano Lopez fired 14 aces as he overcame Czech Bohdan Ulihrach 6-1 6-4 in their second round match. Ulihrach had to fight off six break points before holding for 1-1, but then won just eight points in the next five games to concede the first set. Lopez had to fight harder in the second set but a break for 4-3 was enough to settle the outcome.

Second round results (prefix number denotes seeding): Robby Ginepri (United States) beat 5-Paradorn Srichaphan (Thailand) 6-2 6-1 8-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) beat Bohdan Ulihrach (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-4.

METZ OPEN RESULTS

METZ: Second round results from the 375,750 euros Metz Open ATP tennis tournament on Thursday (prefix number denotes seeding, denotes new result): Alex Corretja (Spain) beat Gregory Carraz (France) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 Gael Monfils (France) beat Olivier Patience (France) 6-4 6-4. -Reuters