Top seed Wozniacki into 3rd rd; Djokovic snaps up quarters spot

Serbian enjoys free ride into last eight after Fish pulls out with an ankle injury

BEIJING - After beating Sara Errani of Italy in the second round of the China Open on Wednesday, top seed Caroline Wozniacki was one step away from the world No 1 ranking.

If the Danish star wins her next match to reach the quarterfinals in Beijing, Wozniacki, currently ranked second, will move atop the women's standings for the first time and dethrone the injured Serena Williams.

Wozniacki faces Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic today at the National Tennis Center, though she admitted she was unaware of her impending achievement.

"To be honest, I don't know (about the potential world No 1 ranking). I'm happy to win today. I have to win my match and I have to get through to the third round," she said after beating Errani 6-4, 6-2. "Hopefully I can play even better tomorrow. I'm just looking forward to playing."

Williams has not played since she claimed her 13th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July. A foot injury has sidelined her since then.

Wozniacki, 20, has claimed five titles this season. Though she has not yet won a Grand Slam title, WTA Tour chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster has dubbed the Dane one of the most consistent players this year.

"The ranking system is intended to reward players for strong, consistent performances over a 12-month period. Wozniacki is very deserving of the world No 1 should, in fact, she reach that accomplishment here in Beijing," Allaster said.

In the other matches, No 2 seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia bested her close friend and compatriot Maria Kirilenko in three grueling sets, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

"First of all, I'm very happy to be in the quarterfinals," said Zvonareva, a quarterfinalist at last year's China Open. "But I have no idea who's in the draw. I'm just taking it one game at a time. I know I will face a tough opponent in the next draw and that's all I'm thinking about."

Fourth-ranked Zvonareva maintained her perfect record against Kirilenko, who won the 2005 China Open, improving to 5-0.

However, Wednesday's meeting was not as easy as the lopsided record would suggest.

"She started off really well in the first set, she was very aggressive and I was a little bit rushed that sometimes my shot choices were not as good as I wanted," Zvonareva said. "In the second set, I kept going on my shots but was more patient and just fighting for every point. I was able to turn that around. I'm very happy."

On the men's side, Beijing continued to be a land of opportunity for top-seeded Serb Novak Djokovic, who claimed the title of last year's China Open and won the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Djokovic enjoyed a free ride into the quarterfinals after American Mardy Fish pulled out with an ankle injury hours before the match. The world No 2 next faces Frenchman Gilles Simon, who defeated Michael Berrer of Germany 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (4).

Fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko struggled to tame towering Croatian Marin Cilic, eventually winning 7-5, 7-5.

"It was a very good match for me. My baseline control was good and I played fast as I believed that was the way to win today," said Davydenko, whose next test will be against another beanpole, American John Isner.

Isner, who is best known for winning the longest ever tennis match 70-68 in the fifth set at this year's Wimbledon, enjoyed a rather brisk workout when he tamed fellow big server Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3 in 2 hours, 13 minutes.

China Daily

(China Daily 10/07/2010 page11)