Thu Sep 18 11:15:23 2008

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Jankovic, Dementieva advance; Ivanovic ousted in Tokyo

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Tokyo, Japan (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Jelena Jankovic and Olympic champion Elena Dementieva breezed into the quarterfinals, while former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic suffered a second-round setback Thursday at the $1.34 million Pan Pacific Open.

Russian Nadia Petrova upended the second-seeded Ivanovic 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 on Day 4 at Ariake Colosseum.

Since winning the French Open in June, the Australian Open runner-up Ivanovic, of Serbia, is a pedestrian 4-4, including a shock second-round ouster by little-known Frenchwoman Julie Coin last month at the U.S. Open, which marked her last match before Thursday's loss.

The U.S. Open runner-up Jankovic, of Serbia, destroyed Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-1 in 61 minutes, while a third-seeded Dementieva needed just 69 minutes to dispose of France's Alize Cornet 6-0, 6-3.

With the win, Dementieva joined Jankovic, American Serena Williams, fellow Russian Dinara Safina and Ivanovic in qualifying for the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, where the world's top-eight players will compete in Doha, Qatar, from November 4-9.

"One of my goals has always been to get as close as possible to the top and to make it to the Sony Ericsson Championships," said Dementieva. "Making it to Doha just shows me that I've been doing a few things right this season, so I am just very happy about my qualification. I have played very well all year and I will certainly try my best to finish the season on a high note."

Dementieva titled here in 2006.

Meanwhile, fifth-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova destroyed wild card Ayumi Morita of Japan 6-1, 6-1 and sixth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska had little trouble with France's Marion Bartoli, winning 6-2, 6-3.

In other second-round action, Slovenian qualifier Katarina Srebotnik handled Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-3 and Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi leveled France's Virginie Razzano 6-4, 6-2.

Friday's quarterfinals will pit Jankovic against Kuznetsova, Dementieva versus Srebotnik, a fourth-seeded Safina against Kanepi, and Radwanska versus Petrova. The rising Safina was this year's French Open and Olympic runner-up.

The 2008 champion at this Tier I hardcourt tournament will collect $196,900.