LINZ, Austria, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Third seed Jelena Dokic signaled a return to form Thursday, easily advancing to the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies Linz.
Dokic arrived at Linz having lost five of her last six matches but has now reached her first quarterfinal since her semifinal run at the Princess Cup in Japan in mid-September. She has won two titles this year and was runner-up at three other events.
The 19-year-old Yugoslavian, a finalist here last year, next faces seventh seed Chanda Rubin of the United States. Their series is tied at 1-1.
A first-round loser at her last two events, Rubin dispatched Nadia Petrova of Russia, 6-2, 6-4. The 26-year-old American won this event in her first appearance in 1997 and has advanced to at least the quarterfinals here for the third straight year.
Rubin also has won a pair of tournaments this season and reached the fourth round at the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Her season did not begin until May after she underwent left knee surgery.
Fourth seed Justine Henin of Belgium routed Tatiana Panova of Russia, 6-2, 6-1. Henin is looking for her second title of the year and first since triumphing at Berlin in May. She has been runner-up four times this season.
Henin's quarterfinal foe will be eighth seed Silvia Farina Elia of Italy, who rolled over Swiss qualifier Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian, 6-4, 6-3. Farina Elia had not passed the second round in her previous four events.
Fifth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia rallied from 5-1 down in the second set to beat home favorite Barbara Schett, 6-1, 7-5. Schett was one game away from leveling the second set before nerves set in.
"I didn't find my rhythm in the first set, she was serving too well," Schett said. "In the second set I led, 5-1, and had the chances to win. It's completely crazy to lose that kind of lead.
"I was concentrating, but perhaps a little nervous and tight when the lead was 5-2 and 5-3. I've often lost matches this way."
In the quarterfinals, Hantuchova will play No. 9 Anna Smashnova of Israel, who has won four titles this year.
American Alexandra Stevenson ousted sixth seed Anastasia Myskina of Russia, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), to set up an encounter with top seed Jennifer Capriati. Last week, Stevenson reached the quarterfinals in Zurich as a qualifier.
