TOKYO — Number 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki outclassed Ana Konjuh of Croatia 6-2, 6-2 at the Pan Pacific Open Wednesday, advancing to a quarterfinal against German fifth seed Angelique Kerber. The Danish former world No. 1, winner here in 2010, took one hour and 22 minutes to complete the night match. Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic edged past former US Open champion Samantha Stosur in a grueling second-round thriller. The 18-year-old, ranked 15th in the world, spent two hours and 16 minutes to win 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-4, surviving constant pressure from the big serves and sizzling returns of the 22nd-ranked Australian. The victory means Bencic will play her first match against Spanish third seed Garbine Muguruza in the quarterfinals. In other matches Muguruza, the world No. 8, outperformed Czech Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-4. The third-seeded Muguruza saved 11 of 14 break points to dispatch of Strycova in 1 hour, 45 minutes. Kerber fought back for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 victory against American Madison Brengle. Halep thru at Guangzhou Top seed Simona Halep of Romania defeated Timea Babos of Hungary in straight sets in second-round play Wednesday in the WTA Guangzhou International Women's Open, as all remaining seeded players advanced. Halep, ranked No. 2 in the world, downed Babos 6-4, 6-0. Number 3 seed Sara Errani of Italy beat China's Zhang Kai-Lin 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-2, losing the first set in a tiebreaker. Serbia's Jelena Jankovic, seeded fourth, downed Francesca Schiavone of Italy 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, while No. 5 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia eliminated Poland's Urszula Radwanska in straight sets 6-0, 6-1. Sixth seed Monica Niculescu from Romania beat Sweden's Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 6-2. China's top player Zheng Saisai, seeded eighth, downed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia 6-1, 7-6 (13-11) after taking the final set in a lengthy tiebreaker. Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic defeated Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer beat Puerto Rico's Monica Puig 6-3, 6-4. The other seeded player to lose so far was Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, at No. 7, who was defeated in the first round by Jovanovski 6-4, 6-2. Schmiedlova advances In Seoul, Slovakian second seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova advanced Wednesday to the quarterfinal of the WTA Korea Open after a tough bout with Christina McHale of the United States. Schmiedlova, ranked 31st in the world, needed three sets to oust McHale 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Belgium's Alison Van Uytvanck, seeded eighth, took a tiebreaker to win the third set against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3). Swedish veteran Johanna Larsson, ranked 62nd in the world, booked her place in the quarterfinal with an upset victory over German seventh seed Julia Goerges 7-5, 6-4. German fifth seed Mona Barthel crushed Mariana Duque of Colombia 6-2, 6-1. Davis final on clay The Davis Cup final between Belgium and Britain will be played in Ghent on clay. The International Tennis Federation says the Nov. 27-29 final will take place at the Flanders Expo on an indoor clay court. The arena will have a capacity of 13,000. — Agencies
