Safina, Jankovic go further in Madrid tennis

2009-05-15 01:00:11 GMT2009-05-15 09:00:11 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English

World number one Dinara Safina of Russia downed Czech Lucie Safarova 6-0, 4-6 and 6-3 to secure a last eight ticket of the Madrid Open tennis tournament on Thursday.(Xinhua Photo)

MADRID, May 14 (Xinhua) -- World number one Dinara Safina of Russia downed Czech Lucie Safarova 6-0, 4-6 and 6-3 to secure a last eight ticket of the Madrid Open tennis tournament on Thursday.

After winning the first set easily, the Russian stumbled in the second as she twice lost her serve and also lagged behind 2-0 in the third. Yet, she rallied to break back twice and wrapped up the win when Safarova sent a return over the baseline.

Safina will next play Alona Bondarenko after the Ukrainian beat Russian Anna Chakvetadze 6-0, 2-6 and 6-3.

"I started very well, very aggressive, but then

I just stopped and let her back in," Safina explained, "All I can take from the match is how I played in the first set, which is how I should play all the time."

Fourth seed Jelena Jankovic made the last eight with an easy 6-2 and 6-2 victory over qualifier Elena Vesnina, another Russian.

Swiss Patty Schnyder is her next opponent.

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