TheSportsCampus

Aleksandra Wozniak continued her winning ways at the HP Japan Women's Open on Thursday and awaits a familiar foe in the quarter-finals of the $220,000 International Series event currently underway in Osaka, Japan.

The 22-year-old Canadian defeated qualifier Kai-Chen Chang of the Chinese Taipei, ranked No. 107 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings, 7-5, 7-6(2) to earn a berth in the final eight for the fourth time this season. In Friday's quarter-finals, Wozniak, seeded sixth in the tournament, will go up against her arch-nemesis and good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, this week's top seed in Osaka. Wozniacki needed just 44 minutes to breeze past Britain's Katie O'Brien 6-0, 6-1.

The match w ill be the fifth meeting between the two players in 2009 alone and sixth overall. Wozniak earned her first victory over the World No. 6 and recent U.S. Open finalist two weeks ago at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo when Wozniacki was forced to retire from their second round match because of illness with Wozniak leading 5-0 in the opening set. Wozniacki had won their four previous encounters, the first two by lopsided scores and the next two were come from behind victories.

In the other quarterfinal in the top half of the draw, 3rd seed Samantha Stosur will take on American Jill Crabas. Stosur, who is enjoying a breakthrough year in her singles career had an easy outing against home town hero Akiko Morgami, needing under an hour to wrap up a 6-1, 6-2 win. 29-year old Morigami announced her retirement from the game after the match. Jill Craybas in the other round of 16 match fought back from a set down to beat Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson 2-6, 6-2, 6-0.

It wasn't all despair for Johansson however as she teamed up with compatriot Julie Coin to beat second seeds Sania Mirza and Vania King to advance to the semi-finals of the women's doubles.

Tomorrow is quaterfinal day in the singles event, with 4th seed Francesca Schiavone opening the day in what should be an exciting contest with 7th seed Melinda Czink. Up next 2nd seed Marion Bartoli will look to improve her 0-1 record against Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. They will be followed on court by Wozniak and Wozniacki, with Stosur and Craybas rounding off the action.

Thursday's Scores:

Singles - Second Round
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. Katie O'Brien (GBR) 60 61
(3) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Akiko Morigami (JPN) 61 62
(6) Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) d. (Q) Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) 75 76(2)
Jill Craybas (USA) d. Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 26 62 60

Doubles - Quarterfinals
Coin/Johansson (FRA/FRA) d. (2) King/Mirza (USA/IND) 64 62
Scheepers/Spears (RSA/USA) d. (3) Senoglu/Shvedova (TUR/KAZ) 63 67(5) 104
(4) Craybas/Tanasugarn (USA/THA) d. Czink/Grandin (HUN/RSA) 46 75 108

File Photograph: Madrid Open