Mauresmo enters China Open quarters

BEIJING: France's Amelie Mauresmo spoilt home country hopes at the China Open on Thursday as the double 2006 Grand Slam champion eliminated Sun Tiantian 6-3, 6-2.   

The world No. 1, who has lifted the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles in her best season ever, took just 69 minutes to reach the quarter-finals at the Beijing tennis centre after a bye.   

Serbian sixth seed Jelena Jankovic beat out another French woman, Marion Bartoli, 6-3, 6-2.   

Russian third seed Nadia Petrova was later to play Eleni Daniilidou of Greece, while American Lindsay Davenport and Russian Elena Vesnina were both facing second-round matches against Chinese opponents.   

Mauresmo earned the first set against Sun, the 2004 Athens Olympic doubles gold medallist, in 36 minutes, recovering after losing an early break of serve.   

But the top seed wasted no time in consolidating, collecting a break to start the second set and reaching a 5-1 lead against the No. 111 from Beijing.   

Sun saved one match point before Mauremso advanced with four breaks of serve and five aces in her efficient debut at the event.   

Mauresmo won her 44th match of the season against just ten defeats, in a 2006 campaign which has so far netted four titles.