Safina in quarter-finals

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:34

The Russian never looked in trouble as she swept to victory in one hour 10 minutes in Holland, not facing a single break point and converting all three of her own.

Fifth seed Alona Bondarenko is out, though, as Francesca Schiavone came from a set down to defeat her 4-6 7-5 6-3.

Daniela Hantuchova, seeded six, beat Kateryna Bondarenko 2-6 6-2 6-1, while Olga Govortsova was another second-round winner, thumping Nathalie Dechy 6-1 6-3.

In the men’s event third seed David Ferrer enjoyed a smooth passage into the next round with a 6-4 6-3 win over Oscar Hernandez.

Ferrer was not at his best, dropping his serve in the first set, but proved too strong for his fellow Spaniard.

Fourth and seventh seeds Rainer Schuettler and Jeremy Chardy also won.

Schuettler beat Thiemo De Bakker 6-3 7-6 (7/3), while Chardy was made to sweat before seeing off veteran Belgian Dick Norman 3-6 6-3 6-3.

Raemon Sluiter advanced after his opponent Marcos Baghdatis retired.

Sluiter was 4-3 up in the first set when the Cypriot threw in the towel.

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