Italians Run Into Palermo Quarterfinals

World No.23 Medina Garrigues has ruled this red clay court event in her eight-year career. The Spaniard won her first title here five years ago, made the semifinals in 2003 and added two more crowns in 2004 and 2005. Since losing her semifinal match to Katarina Srebotnik in 2003, she has managed to win 11 consecutive matches here without dropping a set. Her quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be Italian qualifier Karin Knapp, a 64 64 victor over No.7 seed Iveta Benesova.

In addition to Tathiana Garbin and Roberta Vinci, Knapp is the third Italian quarterfinalist here at the $145,000, red clay event. The 19-year-old will be playing in her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour quarterfinal. She qualified for her first Tour singles event at Strasbourg earlier this year and fell in the first round (76 in the third).

No.4 seed Lucie Safarova also booked a spot in the quarterfinals by toughing out a 75 46 75 battle with Eleni Daniilidou. The Czech teenager has not played a quarterfinal since April, when she made the semis at Amelia Island. On Friday, she will play lucky loser Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who upset countrywoman and No.8 seed Lourdes Dominguez Lino, 67(0) 61 62.

Martinez Sanchez' best Tour singles result is a 2001 semifinal appearance at Madrid. The 23-year-old Barcelona resident reached the quarters at Acapulco earlier this year and pushed eventual runner-up Flavia Pennetta to three sets. Three years ago, she made the doubles finals here with Aranxta Parra Santonja.

Julia Schruff will play Garbin on Friday. Her second round opponent, Romina Oprandi, withdrew due to tendonitis in her left wrist. French qualifier Aravane Rezai will face Vinci.
-- WTA