ANTWERP, Belgium, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Top-seeded American Venus Williams
and third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France will meet for the
second straight week as each was victorious Friday in the
inaugural $585,000 Proximus Diamond Games.
Williams held a 6-3, 1-0 lead in her quarterfinal match Friday
when Italian Silvia Farina Elia retired due to an ankle injury.
Williams, seeking her 23rd career title, defeated Mauresmo in
three sets in the semifinals of the Paris Indoors event last
week before receiving a walkover against Jelena Dokic of
Yugoslavia in the final.
Mauresmo defeated Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 7-5
on Friday. The 22-year-old Mauresmo also lost to Williams in
the quarterfinals in Sydney in this year's first event. She won
three titles last year and has six overall.
Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, seeking her eighth career title,
got by Denmark's Eva Dyrberg, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in Friday's
other quarterfinal match. Schnyder faces second-seeded Justine
Henin of Belgium.
Schnyder advanced to the quarterfinals after fourth seed Dokic
was forced to retire in the due to a right thigh strain. Their
second-round match was tied, 4-6, 6-4, 1-1.
Henin defeated sixth seed Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria, 7-6
(7-1), 6-1 in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
