DUBAI, Feb 26: Venus Williams continued her disappointing start to the year when she suffered a 6-2 6-3 defeat by Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Open on Thursday.

World number one Justine Henin-Hardenne took just 48 minutes to sweep aside an ailing Conchita Martinez 6-1 6-0. Second seed Williams was absent from the tour after Wimbledon because of injury and has struggled since returning at the Australian Open.

She lost there to compatriot Lisa Raymond in the third round, and then won just one match in Tokyo before defaulting her quarterfinal because of a knee injury.

Kuznetsova, 18, used a big forehand, solid serve and strong groundstrokes to keep the American under pressure, and after dropping her serve in the opening game looked the more solid player.

Williams showed a few glimpses of her ferocious groundstrokes, notably when she held serve to love after falling behind a set and 3-0. The American briefly threatened a comeback, pulling back to 2-3, but made far too many unforced errors and three more consecutive breaks of serve left Kuznetsova serving for the biggest victory of her young career.

"I played great today. I was relaxed and tried to play my game," she said. "I really enjoyed it today." Williams has won just four matches in three tournaments this year.

Henin-Hardenne found little resistance from Martinez, who was suffering from a neck strain. The eighth-seeded Spaniard looked lethargic and was slow to go for the wide ball, and at the end of the first set received lengthy treatment. It proved to be ineffective and she barely competed in the second set.

Results

Third Round: Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Venus Williams 6-2, 6-3; Justine Henin-Hardenne bt Conchita Martinez 6-1, 6-0; Meghann Shaughnessy bt Anastasia Myskina 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-3

Marseille Open

MARSEILLE: Second round results from the $593,750 Marseille Open ATP tennis tournament on Thursday:

Marc Rosset (Switzerland) bt Guillermo Coria (Argentina) 7-6 (7-2) 6-1; Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) bt Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 6-2 6-3; Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) bt Albert Costa (Spain) 7-5 4-6 7-6 (7-5); Alberto Martin (Spain) bt Sargis Sargsian (Armenia) 6-3 6-3; Max Mirnyi (Belarus) bt Cyril Saulnier (France) 6-4 6-4; Robin Soderling (Sweden) bt Gregory Carraz (France) 6-3 6-4

Brazil Open

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil Open tennis results Wednesday:

Second Round: Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Agustin Calleri (ARG) bt Fernando Verdasco (SPA) 6-4, 6-4; Jose Acasuso (ARG) bt Filippo Volandri (ITA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2; Juan Inacio Chela (ARG) bt David Ferrer (SPA) 6-2, 6-4; Franco Squillari (ARG) bt Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Luis Horna (PER) bt Juan Monaco (ARG) 6-2, 6-4; Galo Blanco (SPA) bt Albert Montanes (SPA) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4); Tomas Behrend (GER) bt Raul Ramirez Hidalgo (SPA) 6-2, 6-2

Quarterfinal line up: Gustavo Kuerten v Franco Squillari;Jose Acasuso v Tomas Behrend; Agustin Calleri v Juan Ignacio Chela; Luis Horna v Galo Blanco. -Agencies