Petrova beats Dementieva to reach German Open quarters

BERLIN, May 10 (Reuters) Defending champion Nadia Petrova of Russia beat compatriot Elena Dementieva 6-3 6-3 today to advance to the quarter-finals of the German Open.

The former French Open semi-finalist, the seventh seed, broke Dementieva four times in the rain-interrupted match and will play another Russian, third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, for a place in the last four.

Kuznetsova had a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over unseeded German Martina Mueller, ending hopes of a local success at the 1.34 million dollar clay court event.

Serbian teenager Ana Ivanovic also went through to the last eight today. The number 12 seed was leading Alona Bondarenko 6-3 5-0 when the Ukrainian sprained her ankle and was forced to retire.

World number one and top seed Justine Henin of Belgium plays her third round match against unseeded Italian Maria Elena Camerin in the Steffi Graf stadium later today.

Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo of France, who marked her return from a two-month break with an easy win yesterday, takes on Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko.

Former world number one and fourth seed Martina Hingis plays Patty Schnyder with the winner of the all-Swiss clash taking on Ivanovic in the quarters.

REUTERS AKD PM2115