Date Krumm, two decades older than the 19-year-old
Russian, appeared to be the younger player as she saved all six break points
she faced and jumped all over the serve of Pavlyuchenkova, a two-time tour
winner this year at a career-high 20th ranking.
The result lifted the Japanese veteran into her first
quarterfinals since January, and only her third since her remarkable victory
here a year ago, where she became the second oldest winner on tour after Billie
Jean King in 1983.
Next up for Date Krumm, who turns 40 on Tuesday, will be
eighth-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary, another two-time winner on tour this
year.
Top-seeded Nadia Petrova beat Vania King of the United
States 6-3, 6-4, and remained on course for an all-Russian semifinal with
former No. 1 Dinara Safina.
Safina, a wild-card entry, topped fellow Russian,
third-seeded Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-3 for the first time in three match-ups
this year.
Safina struggled through the first half of the year with
a back injury. She's lined up in the last eight against Klara Zakopalova of the
Czech Republic, who beat Safina in Madrid in May.
No. 5-seeded Alisa Kleybanova of Russia also advanced,
but No. 4 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain and No. 6 Yaroslava Shvedova of
Kazakhstan fell in straight sets.
In Tashkent, top-seeded Alexandra Dulgheru and
second-seeded Akgul Amanmuradova were upset in the quarterfinals of the
Tashkent Open on Thursday.
Fifth-seeded Monica Niculescu beat Dulgheru 7-6 (5), 2-6,
6-3 in an all-Romanian match, while local favorite Amanmuradova, a two-time
runner-up, was ousted by seventh-seeded Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia 7-6 (5),
6-3.
In Friday's semifinals, Niculescu will face fourth-seeded
Elena Vesnina of Russia, who eliminated Darya Kustova of Belarus 6-0, 6-1.
Kudryavtseva will play fellow Russian Evgeniya Rodina.
Kudryavtseva is coming off a runner-up finish in
Guangzhou, China on Sunday.
Rodina reached her first career semifinals with a 6-4,
4-6, 6-0 win over Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland.
In Tokyo, tournament organizers say top-ranked Serena
Williams has pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open, two months after surgery on
her right foot.
Williams, who cut her foot on broken glass at a
restaurant after winning Wimbledon, returned to practice earlier this month.
Williams was to head a strong field for the Sept. 26-Oct.
2 event, which includes defending champion Maria Sharapova. Others in the field
include Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva, French Open champion Francesca
Schiavone, Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic.
After missing the US Open, Williams said she wasn't sure
when she'd return to competition. She added she plans to play for the United States
in the Fed Cup final against Italy in November.
