October 13, 2007	Saturday	Ramazan 30, 1428

MOSCOW, Oct 12: Men’s champion Nikolay Davydenko remained on course in the 2.34-million-dollar joint ATP and WTA tournament here on Thursday, beating Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti to advance to the quarters.

But women’s champion Anna Chakvetadze was dethroned, with the third seed falling 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 to fellow Russian Dinara Safina.

Top seed Davydenko eased through 6-4, 6-4 in one hour 37 minutes to record his second win over Lapentti in five meetings.

Davydenko, 26, broke early for a 3-1 lead going one set up in 50 minutes. The Russian started the second with an immediate break but Lapentti broke back in the sixth game to level 3-3. Davydenko broke again in the ninth game minutes before he won the set, the match and a place in the last eight.

Germany’s Michael Berrer upset second seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-5, 6-4, while Scottish third seed Andy Murray fell 6-4, 7-5 to Serb Janko Tipsarevic in their second round showdown.

Marat Safin also looked unimpressive as he crashed out to compatriot Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-4.

Younger sister Dinara Safina had more success against Chakvetadze, the recipient of a first round bye. Both traded breaks throughout the opening set with Safina proving strongest in the tie-break.

US fourth seed Serena Williams advanced to the quarter-finals with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Ukraine’s Tatiana Perebiynis in their first ever meeting.

Results (x denotes seeding):

Second round:

Men’s: Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x1) bt Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) 6-4, 6-4; Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Marat Safin (RUS x5) 6-4, 6-4; Janko Tipsarevich (SRB) bt Andy Murray (GBR x3) 6-4, 7-5; Michael Berrer (GER) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x2) 7-5, 6-4.

Women’s: Dinara Safina (RUS) bt Anna Chakvetadze (RUS x3) 7-6 (8/6), 6-2; Vera Zvonareva (RUS) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 6-2, 6-2; Nicole Vaidisova (CZE x 8) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-3, 6-4; Serena Williams (US x4) bt Tatiana Perebiynis (UKR) 7-5, 6-4.

DJOKOVIC REACHES LAST EIGHT

VIENNA: Top seed Novak Djokovic reached the quarter-finals of the BA-CA Trophy here on Thursday, comfortably beating Czech Tomas Zib 6-4, 6-4.

The only surprise was that after breaking to love in the opening game, the Serb immediately dropped his own serve in similar fashion.

But then his big forehand did the damage that was expected of it, and although Zib competed well he never presented any danger to Djokovic’s progress.

Zib netted a backhand to give Djokovic a further break for 3-2, and Djokovic forced a forehand error to break at the same stage in the second set before closing out the match with his seventh ace.

Results:

Second round: Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1; Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Stefan Koubek (AUT) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG-x7) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Tomas Zib (CZE) 6-4, 6-4.

BLAKE, NIEMINEN ADVANCE

STOCKHOLM: James Blake and Jarkko Nieminen set up a re-run of last year’s final at the Stockholm Open, with the American champion and Finnish runner-up due to meet in a quarter-final.

Thursday’s results:

Second round: Jarkko Nieminen (FIN x6) bt Peter Luczak (AUS) 6-0, 6-4; Mario Ancic (CRO) bt Bjorn Rehnquist (SWE) 6-1, 6-3; Ivo Karlovic (CRO x7) bt Joachim Johansson (SWE) walkover (illness); Arnaud Clement (FRA) bt Michael Ryderstedt (SWE) 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-3; Thomas Johansson (SWE) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (12/10); James Blake (US x1) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN) 6-3, 6-2.

VENUS EASES INTO QUARTERS

BANGKOK: Reigning Wimbledon champion Venus Williams sailed through to the quarter-finals of the Bangkok Open, beating both Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki and Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn on Thursday.

Venus beat Tamarine 6-4, 6-1 in the second round. She had earlier on Thursday clinched 6-2, 6-2 first-round win over Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki.

Results:

First round: Venus Williams (US x2) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6-2, 6-2.

Second round: Shahar Peer (ISR x3) bt Anastasia Rodionova (RUS) 6-1, 6-1; Yan Zi (CHN) bt Olga Poutchkova (RUS) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; Urszula Radwanska (POL) bt Virginie Razzano (FRA x4) 7-6 (7/3), 7-5; Venus Williams (US x2) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 6-4, 6-1; Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) bt Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Vania King (US) vs. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x5) 6-6 (8/9) (suspended-rain).—Agencies