Wed Sep 24 12:09:17 2008

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Jankovic reaches quarters in rainy Beijing

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Beijing, China (Sports Network) - U.S. Open runner-up Jelena Jankovic was a second-round winner Wednesday at the $600,000 China Open.

The top-seeded former world No. 1 Jankovic got past Canadian qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak 6-3, 7-5 on a soggy Day 3 on the hardcourts at Beijing Tennis Center. The world No. 2 Jankovic was last year's runner-up here to Hungarian Agnes Szavay.

Another second-round win came for seventh-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, who outlasted Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 0-6, 7-5. Hantuchova is rewarded with a Friday quarterfinal match against the Serbian Jankovic.

Two other scheduled second-rounders were postponed because of rain. Fifth- seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva will face Italian Francesca Schiavone and the reigning Beijing champion Szavay will take on Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues on Thursday. Zvonareva was last week's titlist in Guangzhou.

The first round concluded here on Wednesday when heavy Chinese crowd favorite Jie Zheng upset sixth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-3. The match was suspended because of rain here on Tuesday, with Zheng leading 3-0 in the first set.

Thursday's second-round schedule will also feature second-round matches for second-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic, fourth-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and eighth-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze. The former world No. 1 Ivanovic is the reigning French Open champion and Aussie Open runner-up. Kuznetsova was last week's runner-up in Tokyo.

The 2008 Beijing titlist will collect $95,500.