Zakopalova Cruises, Goerges Awaits In QFs

Some went the distance and some cruised as the second round of the Open GDF SUEZ wrapped up on Thursday. Among the close ones was a three set battle between two of the best all-court players in today's game. In the first match of the day on center court, No.7 seed Roberta Vinci faced American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands, with Vinci using her shot variety to counter Mattek-Sands' all-out attacking game. A former semifinalist here, Mattek-Sands had her moments in the match, particularly in the second set, but Vinci's serve was too steady in the end - she lost just four points in four service games in the final set - and the Italian moved through, 63 16 63.

Vinci, who cracked the Top 20 last year but is currently sitting just outside at No.23, has now won back-to-back matches for the first time since the US Open; it is her first Premier-level quarterfinal since her breakthrough week in Toronto last August, where she scored her first win over a reigning World No.1 en route (Caroline Wozniacki) and subsequently broke into that Top 20.

Other early winners were Czech veteran Klara Zakopalova, who won the first seven games and eventually put Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova away, 60 63; German qualifier Mona Barthel, who won the last seven games of her match to beat French wildcard Pauline Parmentier, 63 60; and No.9 seed Angelique Kerber, who battled almost two hours to get by Monica Niculescu, 63 46 63 - Kerber will face the No.1 seed, Maria Sharapova, in the quarterfinals.

Having come in with an 0-3 record on the season, Zakopalova has absolutely cruised into her fifth career Premier-level quarterfinal, losing four games in her first round match with Alizé Cornet and just three against Pironkova.

"In the first set I played very well and hardly any mistakes, but in the second set Tsvetana started to play slower and cut down on her errors, so it was closer," the 29-year-old said. "I fought hard today - and I also got a little bit lucky on some points."

Zakopalova's first four Premier quarterfinals came at Antwerp (2004, 2005), Warsaw (2009) and Doha (2011). She has never been to a Premier semifinal.

Next up for Zakopalova is No.6 seed Julia Goerges, who won her second round match on Wednesday. Goerges leads Zakopalova in their head-to-head series, 2-1, although Zakopalova's win did come in their most recent meeting.

At night, No.2 seed (and French No.1) Marion Bartoli opened her week against Petra Martic, while Yanina Wickmayer and Christina McHale also played.