Thu Jun 12 14:54:42 2008

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Kirilenko sneaks into Barcelona QFs

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Barcelona, Spain (Sports Network) - Second-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko needed all three sets on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals at the $145,000 clay-court Barcelona KIA tennis event.

The 21-year-old Kirilenko was pushed by French Open quarterfinalist Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, in a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 decision at La Taixonera.

Kirilenko's quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be 2007 Barcelona runner-up Edina Gallovits, who upended seventh-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-2, 6-0 on Day 4 here. The Romanian Gallovits lost to American Meghann Shaughnessy in last year's finale.

In other second-round play, fourth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova got past Spanish wild card Arantxa Parra Santonja 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and Ekaterina Ivanova overcame fellow Russian qualifier Maria Kondratieva 1-6, 6-1, 7-5.

Friday's other quarters will pit Safarova against Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, sixth-seeded Italian Sara Errani versus Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives and Ivanova against France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro.

The 2008 Barcelona champion will collect $22,900.