Elena Dementieva beat Agnes Szavay to reach the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Grand Prix and will now play Marion Bartoli.
Second-seeded Russian to face Bartoli in Stuttgart quarters
Elena Dementieva secured her place in the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Grand Prix as she eased past Hungary's Agnes Szavay in straight sets.
The second seed was forced to recover from 4-1 down in the first set but, having done so, edged a tie-break before breezing through the second to clinch a 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 triumph.
The loss of the first set seemed to shatter Szavay who lost confidence and put up little resistance as Dementieva marched into the last eight.
"I really had a slow start, it was tough to come back from 4-1 down," Dementieva commented afterwards, before admitting she has work to do ahead of next month's French Open.
"I won the tie-break and she was very disappointed about that. She didn't fight so hard in the second set.
"I am still finding my feet on clay-court, it is my first tournament and my footwork needs to improve.
"It is just important to improve match-by-match and make sure I am ready for the French Open."
Tough win for Bartoli
The Olympic champion will now face Marion Bartoli in the quarter-finals after the Frenchwoman ended the hopes of seventh seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.
Like Dementieva, Bartoli needed a first-set tie-break on her way to a straight sets victory, but was made to fight all the way by Wozniacki.
She eventually shaded the breaker 8-6 and then held her nerve to complete a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 success - her first over the Dane.
"I knew she has a great backhand and it is always tough to play Caroline, I have never beaten her before," Bartoli said.
"She pushed me all the way and you can't normally expect to beat someone who is ranked 11th in the world.
"It was pretty hard work, but I was ready for her."
Of her showdown with Demetieva, she added: "The last time I played Elena on clay, I beat her at the French Open, she has improved since then, but so have I.
"If I play like I did today I have a chance to beat her."
Safina, Jankovic progress
World number one Dinara Safina brushed aside Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in just over an hour to book her spot in the last eight.
The Russian prevailed 6-2 6-4 and will meet eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the next round.
"We have had some close matches in the past and I did well today," said Safina, who had lost her three previous meetings to Hantuchova.
Jelena Jankovic, the third seed, came through in a deciding set against Sabine Lisicki to keep her title defence on track.
The Serbian triumphed 7-5 5-7 6-3 in two hours and 13 minutes and will play Flavia Pennetta, who beat sixth seed Nadia Petrova, in the quarter-final.
"She gave me a hard time," said Jankovic.
"She played really great and she served really well, she was hitting her serves hard - between 180 and 190km/h - and not many girls can do that.
"I am just pleased to have got through the match."
