EASTBOURNE, England, 19 June 2003 — Jennifer Capriati overcame a blustery wind and a purple patch from opponent Amy Frazier to win 6-1, 7-5 and reach the quarterfinals of the Eastbourne women’s grasscourt tournament yesterday.

She was joined by defending champion and second seed Chanda Rubin, who completed a business-like 6-0, 6-3 rout of Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn and Daniela Hantuchova, who struggled with her serve before beating Alexandra Stevenson 7-6, 6-4. The 27-year-old Capriati, seeded three here, looked to be cruising after the first set until Frazier suddenly found her shots.

Capriati collapsed to 5-0 down in the second set and had to claw her way back to make sure of earning more grasscourt matches to prepare for Wimbledon next week.

Hantuchova, looking thin but fit, sprayed her serve and groundstrokes wide at times, as she coped with the new surface and coastal conditions. Hantuchova should get a good grasscourt workout when she meets former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez in the quarterfinals on Thursday after the Spaniard, 11 years her senior, beat another 31-year-old Amanda Coetzer 7-5, 6-3.

Japanese seventh seed Ai Sugiyama had her Wimbledon preparations cut short when she went out 6-1, 7-5 to France’s Nathalie Dechy.

Rusedski Hits Form in Nottingham

British number two Greg Rusedski showed he is hitting form at the right time when he beat Olivier Rochus in straight sets in the pre-Wimbledon tournament here yesterday.

In only his fifth match since returning from injury, Rusedski dominated the diminutive Belgian, winning many of his service games to love as he recorded a 6-4, 6-1 victory to move into the quarterfinals.

“I didn’t take my chances in the first set but I stuck at it and finally got the break,” said Rusedski, who could face American Andy Roddick in the second round at Wimbledon. Hicham Arazi had to work harder in his second round match, before the Moroccan beat sixth seed Max Mirnyi of Belarus 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

Belgian Duo Reach Ordina Open Quarters

In Den Bosch, Netherlands, Belgian duo Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters made winning starts to their Wimbledon preparations with comfortable second-round victories at the Ordina Open yesterday.

French Open champion Henin-Hardenne picked up where she left off in Paris with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Spaniard Maria-Antonia Sanchez-Lorenzo.

Clijsters bounced back after losing to her compatriot in the Roland Garros final by beating Zimbabwean Cara Black 6-4 6-4 to also reach the quarter-finals.

Henin-Hardenne, seeded second behind Clijsters here, stepped up a gear after an early exchange of breaks to take the first set and then wrap up victory.

Third seed Amelie Mauresmo of France suffered a surprised defeat as she lost 6-7, 6-0, 7-5 to German Barbara Rittner.

She was joined on the sidelines by men’s number two seed Paradorn Srichaphan as the Thai was beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Dutchman Raemon Sluiter.

Sluiter, drawn to play Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the first round at Wimbledon next week, survived a late fit of nerves to cheer the home crowd following the defeats of Richard Krajicek and Martin Verkerk on Tuesday.