Guse/Hiraki advance to Wismilak quarterfinals

SURABAYA (JP): Australian Kerry-Anne Guse and Japanese partner Rika Hiraki cruised into the quarterfinals of the Wismilak International women's tennis tournament at the Embong Sawo tennis complex yesterday after beating Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn and Australian Catharine Barclay 6-4, 6-2.

Guse/Hiraki will meet the winner of the match between the pair of Korean Park Sung-hee and Taiwan's Wang Shi-Ting and the French pair of Nathalie Dechy/Sara Pitkowski.

Second seeded Guse/Hiraki teamed well together and led from the beginning.

Malaysian Chin Bee Khoo and Japanese partner Yamagishi worked hard to beat the Japanese duo of Haruka Inoue/Maika Inoue 5-7, 7- 5, 6-4.

Khoo/Yamagishi now meets American Erika de Lone and Australian Nicole Pratt, who had a walk over win against Canadians M. Drake and R. Kolbovic.

No Indonesian players made it through to the second round. Wynne Prakusya and Mimma Chernovita failed to get past the first round, while others did not qualify for the main draw.

First seeded Dominique van Roost went closer to the singles title after beating Japan's Miho Saeki 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

She will play the winner of the match between Madagascar's Dally Randriantefy and Japan's Yuko Yoshida.

Van Roost run has been made easier after second seed Henrieta Nagyova lost to Haruka Inoue 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.

Australia's Nicole Pratt, who beat third seeded Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn on Wednesday, also cruised to the quarterfinals and will meet the winner of the match between Japan's Nana Miyagi and seventh seeded Rachel McQuillan.

In other quarterfinals, sixth seeded French woman Sara Pitkowski will meet the winner of the match between France's Nathalie Dechie and Venezuelan Maria Alejandra Vento.

The winner between Czech Lenka Nemeckova and Japan's Haruka Inoue will go through to the semifinals.

The championship is to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Embong Sawo tennis complex.

The winner of the singles event will walk away with US$31,860, the runner-up will get $15,030 and semifinalists will receive $7,695.

The doubles winner will receive $10,548, the runner-up will get $6,192 and semifinalists will pocket $3,546. (nur/yan)