DOHA, 25 February 2005 — Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia set up a clash with Slovak Daniela Hantuchova for a place in the final of the $600,000 WTA Qatar Open here yesterday.

Sharapova, the second seed, ousted France’s Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-2 in their quarterfinal clash after Hantuchova earlier eliminated Spanish veteran Conchita Martinez 6-4, 6-1.

Sharapova had too much class for Bartoli, although the reigning Wimbledon champion was far from perfect.Bartoli actually led the first set 3-2 after a break in the fourth game, but Sharapova caught up soon and finished off the set with a break in the 11th game.

Earlier Hantuchova, the 2002 Wimbledon and US Open quarterfinalist, was in a tearing hurry as she raced past the 32-year-old Martinez by winning six games in a row after a rain interruption that lasted nearly three hours.

Moya Suffers Upset; Novak, Calleri Advance

In Acapulco, Mexico, defending champion Carlos Moya was upset by 28th-seeded Argentine Mariano Puerta on Wednesday at the Mexican Open tennis tournament in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco.

After losing the first set, Puerta rallied to down the Spaniard 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Former champions Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic and Agustin Calleri of Argentina, meanwhile, won in straight sets to set up a quarterfinal clash.

Fifth-seeded Novak, the 1998 Mexican singles and doubles champion, dispatched Oscar Hernandez of Spain 6-3, 6-1 in the second round. Calleri, the 2003 champion, defeated Juan Monaco 7-6, 6-2 in an all-Argentine match, and reached his third quarterfinals this month.

Third-seeded Guillermo Canas of Argentina defeated Frenchman Nicolas Devilder 6-0, 7-5.

In other matches, sixth-seeded Filippo Volandri of Italy beat Alberto Martin of Spain 7-6 (5), 7-5, and eighth-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain downed countryman Santiago Ventura 7-6, 6-2. Seventh-seeded David Ferrer was upset by fellow Spaniard Felix Mantilla 7-5, 6-2, while Albert Montanes of Spain defeated Tomas Zib of the Czech Republic 6-4, 7-6 to set up a quarterfinal against Volandri.

In women’s play, top seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy opened with a comfortable 7-5, 6-1 defeat of Germany’s Julia Schruff.

Pennetta was followed into the second round by No. 2 American Meghann Shaughnessy, who beat Mexican wildcard Melissa Torres Sandoval 6-3, 7-5.

Lilia Osterloh of the United States upset sixth-seeded Marta Domachowska of Poland 7-5, 6-4 in a second-round match.

Ancic Cruises; Two More Seeds Fall at Tennis Channel Open

In Scottsdale, Arizona, Third-seed Mario Ancic cruised to the quarterfinals of the Tennis Channel Open on Wednesday, defeating Australian Mark Philippoussis 6-1, 7-6.

Two other seeded players weren’t so fortunate, with No. 6 Irakli Labadze of Georgia and No. 8 German Lars Burgsmuller both losing. Only three seeds remain in the tournament after top-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany withdrew because of the flu on Tuesday.

Giovanni Lapentti of Ecuador defeated Labadze 6-2, 6-2 and American Glenn Weiner beat Burgsmuller 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Also advancing to the final eight was Australian Wayne Arthurs. Christopher Rochus of Belgium won the final first-round match played Wednesday.

Arthurs defeated American Justin Gimelstob 6-2, 6-7, 7-6. Rochus beat American Jeff Morrison 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.