Kirilenko back in Korea Open quarterfinals

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Maria Kirilenko rolled into the quarterfinals of the $145,000 Korea Open tennis tournament in Seoul with a straight-set victory Thursday.

Kirilenko overpowered Lucie Safarova, 6-3, 6-3, as she tries to improve on the runner-up finish she had in the 2007 Korea Open. Kirilenko lost last year's final to Venus Williams, who didn't return to defend the title.

Third-seeded Kaia Kanepi needed just 53 minutes to dispose of Anastasia Pivovarova, 6-1, 6-1, while fifth-seeded Pauline Parmentier was also sharp Thursday, winning her second-round match, 6-3, 6-2, over Stephanie Dubois. The fourth second-round match saw No. 8-seeded Yung-Jan Chan fall, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), to Yanina Wickmayer.

Friday's quarterfinals matches have Kirilenko against Parmentier, Kanepi versus Wickmayer, second-seeded Shahar Peer playing Jill Craybas and Samantha Stosur facing Ekaterina Makarova.