Schnyder, Petrova Continue Year-end Charge at WTA Linz

Swiss Patty Schnyder and Russian Nadia Petrova, both vying for one of the final remaining spots at the WTA Championships, recorded easy straight-set victories Thursday at the WTA stop in Linz to advance into the quarterfinals.

The No. 3-seeded Petrova eased past Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson, while the No. 4-seeded Schnyder dropped only four games against Czech Iveta Benesova.

"In the beginning I started out aggressively, but I think I was possibly a little too mean," Petrova said. "I was forcing too much, and I was making too many errors -- I wanted to finish the point on the first shot."

Other seeded winners were No. 6 Daniela Hantuchova (d. Martinez who retired in the third with an arm injury) and No. 8 Ana Ivanovic (d. Paszek).

Also into the quarterfinals were un-seeds Ai Sugiyama of Japan (d. Dulko in three) and Sybile Bammer (d. Dushevina).

On tap for the Friday quarterfinals in Linz are Bammer vs. Petrova, Golovin vs. Ivanovic, Schnyder vs. Hantuchova, and Sugiyama vs. Peschke.