Hantuchova Upset, Jankovic Rolls in Auckland

Jankovic, the world's No.12-ranked player and the No.1 seed at the Tier IV event, defeated Emma Laine, 62 61. She broke the Finnish youngster a total of five times and was also in complete control of her own service games, dropping only one. She completed the lopsided victory in just one hour, seven minutes.

The ending was not the same for her Top 20 counterparts. Hantuchova, ranked No.17 and the No.3 seed, battled back from a 5-2 second set deficit but ultimately fell anyway to French qualifier Virginie Razzano, 61 75; and Bartoli, ranked No.18 and the No.4 seed here, succumbed to the impressive shot variety of French compatriot Emilie Loit, 75 64.

Four Top 20 players began this week, a record for the tournament, but Jankovic is now the only one still standing. Anastasia Myskina, ranked No.16, was defeated in three sets in the first round by Gisela Dulko.

Next up for Jankovic in Thursday's quarterfinals is No.7 seed Eleni Daniilidou, a clutch 64 26 64 winner over New Zealand's own Marina Erakovic. After claiming the opening set, the contest began slipping out of Daniilidou's hands, as her younger opponent started hitting the mark with her powerful ground game. Erakovic grabbed the second set and had points for a 3-0 third set lead, but the Greek was cool under pressure and rallied for the two-hour, 10-minute win.

"I think she just needs time before she gets into the Top 100," stated Daniilidou on Erakovic. "But I did not move well and I am unhappy with the way I played."

"At this level you can't have slip-ups," said the 18-year-old Erakovic. "You just can't have periods where, all of a sudden, you're playing great for two games and then you just stop and play not how you were playing. I think I just consistently need to play aggressively... when they're down you've gotta squash them."

Daniilidou and Jankovic have never squared off before.

"She's obviously a very good player," said Daniilidou on the quickly-rising Serb. "She's playing well and has improved a lot so I have to believe and play and move much better than today."

Wednesday's other winners were former Top 10 players Vera Zvonareva (seeded No.5) and Paola Suárez, as well as Frenchwoman Camille Pin.

All four quarterfinals go on court Thursday. Jankovic faces Daniilidou, Zvonareva takes on Razzano, Loit takes on Pin and Suárez takes on Jill Craybas. Craybas was the only player to reach the final eight on Tuesday, taking out Dulko.