Stuttgart (Germany): Jelena Jankovic won her first match since learning that she will regain the No. 1 ranking, beating Alona Bondarenko 6-2, 6-0 Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix.
Jankovic and Bondarenko traded breaks of serve at the start of the match but once Jankovic broke for a 3-2 lead, she never lost another game.
The Serb was assured of becoming No. 1 when the new ranking come out on Monday after Serena Williams' loss to Li Na on Wednesday. Jankovic is looking for back-to-back titles after winning last week's China Open.
"I am pretty happy with the way I played, it was my first match indoors," said Jankovic, who lost the US Open final to Serena Williams.
"It feels great to be back at No. 1 but my goal is to finish the year as No. 1," Jankovic said. "I'm playing better and better, I am improving. I don't feel any extra pressure, if anything then extra motivation."
Serena's sister Venus, seeded sixth, served 12 aces to beat Kateryna Bondarenko, Alona's younger sister, 6-4, 6-2 and also advanced.
Venus dominated the Ukrainian qualifier and won in 66 minutes.
"I'd like to serve like that in every match," Venus said.
Venus, the Wimbledon champion, fell behind 3-1 but recovered to break serve twice in winning the first set.
"She played really well," Venus said. "She had an early break and I needed to break her back. I felt comfortable on the court."
Third-seeded Dinara Safina rallied in the second set to beat qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova 6-1, 7-6 (6) to set up a quarter-final clash with Venus.
Two other Russians also advanced to the last eight, Vera Zvonareva and Nadia Petrova.
Seventh-seeded Zvonareva spoiled Marion Bartoli's 24th birthday by beating the Frenchwoman 6-2, 6-0, while Petrova overcame Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-4, 6-1.
"I didn't give her a chance to get into the match," said Zvonareva, the Olympic bronze medalist. "I played pretty well and consistent."
Zvonareva next plays Jankovic, who beat her at the China Open.
Petrova, the 2006 champion in Stuttgart, will meet Li in the quarter-finals.
Safina trailed 3-5 in the second set after having her serve broken but broke right back to love. She never trailed in the tiebreaker and used her second match point to close out the encounter.
Safina still has a chance at finishing the year at No. 1 after a breakthrough season during which she has won four titles. She was also runner-up at the French Open and the Olympics and a semifinalist at the U.S. Open.
"It wasn't an easy match, I didn't play at my best. I was going for my shots even if I was missing some," Safina said.
Jankovic already held the No. 1 spot for one week in August.
Since Justine Henin retired in May, four players have held the No.1 ranking: Ana Ivanovic, Jankovic, Maria Sharapova and Williams.
Ivanovic and Sharapova are the only top-10 players who did not come to Stuttgart.
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