Azarenka through to Andalucia quarters

MARBELLA, Spain, April 7 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka had little trouble in advancing Thursday to the quarterfinals of the Andalucia Tennis Experience tournament in Spain.

Azarenka won 60 percent of the points when receiving serve in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Laura Pous-Tio. Azarenka, who won the tournament title match Saturday in Miami, lost her serve twice but still took 59 percent of the points on serve. She had five breaks in eight Pous-Tio service games.

Fourth-seeded Alexandra Dulgheru was on the court nearly 3 hours before escaping with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues. Each player won 99 points in the match but Dulgheru advanced by getting three breaks in each the last two sets.

Qualifiers Irina-Camelia Begu and Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino also earned quarterfinals berths. Arruabarrena-Vecino ousted Sandra Zahlavova 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 while Begu topped Estrella Cabeza Candela 7-5, 6-0, winning 70 percent of the points in the second set.

Friday's quarterfinals have Azarenka going against former No. 1 Dinara Safina and Dulgheru facing eight-seeded Sara Errani in the top half of the draw while No. 2-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova plays Arruabarrena-Vecino and sixth-seeded Klara Zakopalova meets Begu in the other half of the bracket.