SALVADOR, Brazil, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Gustavo Kuerten, the sixth seed, got past American qualifier Mashiska Washington on Thursday, 6-0, 7-5, to reach the quarterfinals of the Brazil Open.
On the women's side, Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia and Monica Seles of the United States, the top two seeds, moved into the semifinals of the hardcourt event.
A former world No. 1, Kuerten has captured 16 ATP titles in his career but never an event in his native Brazil.
The 26-year-old Kuerten, who has struggled this season after having undergone hip surgery in February, knocked off second seed Marat Safin at the U.S. Open. But Kuerten eventually fell to Sjeng Schalken in the fourth round.
Kuerten's quarterfinal opponent is Gaston Etlis. The Argentine qualifier knocked off another Brazilian, Fernando Meligeni, 6-1, 7-6.
No. 8 Andre Sa of Brazil and unseeded Ramon Delgado of Paraguay also reached the final eight. Sa dispensed with George Bastl of Switzerland, 6-1, 7-5. Delgado upset fourth seed Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina, 6-2, 7-5.
Dokic, the top seed, held off South African Amanda Coetzer, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, to reach the semifinals here for the second straight year. In 2001, Dokic fell in the final to Seles. The 19-year-old is trying to collect her third title of the year, having won at Sarasota and Birmingham.
In the final four, Dokic's opponent is No. 3 Anastasia Myskina. The Russian defeated Slovenia's Maja Matevzic, 7-5, 6-1.
The second seed, Seles eased into the semifinals with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia. The 28-year-old advanced to her 10th semifinal of the year. She went on to capture the titles at Doha and Madrid.
Seles meets No. 8 Eleni Daniilidou in the semifinals. The Greek rallied to beat Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, the fourth seed, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
