Dinara Safina will play Venus Williams in the quarter-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix after both won in straight sets on Thursday.
Third seed beats Pironkova, elder Williams sister awaits
Dinara Safina will play Venus Williams in the quarter-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix after both won in straight sets on Thursday.
Russian ace Safina beat Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova 6-1 7-6, racing through the first set before taking the second on an 8-6 tie-break.
It was the world number three's first match at the tournament after receiving a first-round bye and she now faces Wimbledon champion Williams, who served 12 aces as she brushed aside Kateryna Bondarenko 6-4 6-2 in just over an hour.
Williams was pleased with her display, saying afterwards: "I feel comfortable at this tournament.
"It's already a great result and I would love to improve on it."
Earlier, Safina's compatriot Nadia Petrova beat Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-4 6-1 to set up a quarter-final clash with China's Li Na, who was a surprise winner over world number one and top seed Serena Williams on Wednesday.
Jankovic on top
Jelena Jankovic, who will regain top spot in the world rankings on Monday, also made it through to the quarter-finals by beating Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-2 6-0.
The Serbian, seeded second in Stuttgart, is to face Russia's Vera Zvonareva in the last eight. Zvonareva beat Marion Bartoli of France 6-2 6-0 earlier in the day.
Jankovic will replace Serena Williams as world number one in the updated rankings after Williams was beaten on Wednesday by China's Li Na.
"I am still waking up at 5am and staring at the ceiling, willing myself back to sleep," admitted Jankovic, who is suffering from jet lag after arriving from Beijing on Monday fresh from winning the China Open.
"I was the first at breakfast this morning and went back again later for a second helping.
"I am eating a lot to get over the jet lag because I am awake for so much of the day."
Russian world number four Elena Dementieva takes on Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in Friday's remaining quarter-final.
