DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Justine Henin was pushed in the second set Wednesday but held on for a second-round victory in the $1.34 million Qatar Open tennis tournament.
Henin got past Alicia Molik 6-2, 7-6 (11-9) on a day in which seeded players rolled in the tournament. Henin is seeking her second consecutive tournament title, having won last week at Dubai.
Henin is paired with fifth-seeded Patty Schnyder, who roared past Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-3, 6-4, in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Julia Goerges, 7-5, 6-1, on Wednesday. Her quarterfinal opponent will be eighth-seeded Francesca Schiavone, who advanced when Mara Santangelo retired one game into the third set with a left wrist injury.
Martina Hingis, the third seed at Qatar, swept past Maria Kirilenko, 6-2, 6-2, to earn a quarterfinal slot against No. 6 Daniela Hantuchova, who was a 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-3 against Eleni Daniilidou.
The fourth quarterfinal sends fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic against Kateryna Bondarenko. Jankovic defeated Maria Elena Camerin. 6-0, 6-2, and Bondarenko moved on in a walkover over Sania Mirza.
