October 05, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 22, 1428

TOKYO, Oct 4: Top seed Venus Williams barely worked up a sweat while India’s Sania Mirza struggled, but both women booked their spots on Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open.

In the men’s draw, top seed David Ferrer — looking to secure his spot in the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai — ousted 2005 Japan Open champion Wesley Moodie of South Africa, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, moving on to the third round.

Venus, the reigning Wimbledon champion and world number eight, had no trouble with fellow American Vania King, cruising to a 6-0, 6-4 victory.

Wednesday’s results (x denotes seeding):

Men’s (second round): Thomas Johansson (SWE x12) bt Justin Gimelstob (US) 6-4, 6-4; Feliciano Lopez (ESP x10) bt Robert Kendrick (US) 6-2, 6-4; Michael Russell (US x16) bt Marin Cilic (CRO) 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-1; Dmitry Tursunov (RUS x6) bt Paul Capdeville (CHI) 6-4, 6-3; Rainer Schuettler (GER) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN x15) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Ivo Karlovic (CRO x7) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-4, 6-3; Vincent Spadea (USA) bt Sergio Roitman (ARG x14) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9/7); David Ferrer (ESP x1) bt Wesley Moodie (RSA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2; Fernando Verdasco (ESP x8) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-3, 6-2; Boris Pashanski (SRB) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN x5) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS x4) bt Luka Gregorc (SLO) 6-3, 6-3; Richard Gasquet (FRA x3) bt Zack Fleishman (US) 6-3, 6-3; Dedi Sela (ISR) bt Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x11) 2-6, 7-5, 5-3 ret; Tomas Berdych (CZE x2) bt Jiri Vanek (CZE) 6-1, 6-4.

Women’s (second round): Sania Mirza (IND x2) bt Casey Dellacqua (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Klara Zakopalova (CZE) bt Urszula Radwanska (POL) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Venus Williams (US x1) bt Vania King (US) 6-0, 6-4; Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Yuan Meng (CHN) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-1; Flavia Pennetta (ITA x8) bt Abigail Spears (US) 6-4, 7-6 (7/2); Camille Pin (FRA) bt Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO) 6-1, 6-0; Alicia Molik (AUS) bt Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 6-1, 6-0; Virginie Razzano (FRA x5) bt Elena Baltacha (GBR) 6-2, 6-2.

SERENA SURVIVES

STUTTGART: Serena Williams put a ‘crazy’ few games behind her to beat Julia Vakulenko of Ukraine 7-5, 6-2 and reach the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Grand Prix on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s results:

First round: Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x8) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE) 6-1, 6-3; Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) bt Karin Knapp (ITA) 7-5, 6-0; Michaella Krajicek (NED) bt Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 6-3, 6-2; Ana Ivanovich (SRB x5) bt Patty Schnyder (SUI) 6-0, 6-2.

Second round: Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x2) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 6-4, 6-7 (7/4), 6-3; Tatiana Golovin (FRA) bt Anna Chakvetadze (RUS x4) 7-6 (7/3), 6-1; Serena Williams (US x6) bt Julia Vakulenko (UKR) 7-5, 6-2.

ROBREDO MOVES AHEAD

METZ (France): Top-seeded Tommy Robredo advanced to the third round of the 353,450-euro ATP tournament on Wednesday by beating Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4, 6-2.

Wednesday’s results:

First round: Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Mathieu Montcourt (FRA) 6-2, 7-5; Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) bt Nicolas Massu (CHI) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3); Michael Llodra (FRA) bt Werner Eschauer (AUT) 4-1 retired; Guillermo Canas (ARG x2) bt Mikhail Ledovskikh (RUS) 7-6 (7/1), 6-4; Igor Andreev (RUS x8) bt Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 6-3, 6-3.

Second round: Tommy Robredo (ESP x1) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-4, 6-2.—Agencies