Dokic gets Kuti Kis revenge

Eleanor Preston

Yugoslavia's Jelena Dokic gained her revenge over Rita Kuti Kis at the Rome Masters on Thursday, as Martina Hingis and Amelie Mauresmo both headed into the quarter-finals.

Dokic chalked up a 6-3 6-3 victory in her third round match, settling a score with the Hungarian.

Dokic lost memorably to Kuti Kis in the first round of the 2000 Australian Open and dismissed Kuti Kis afterwards as "Someone who isn't a player and never will be a player."

But despite her emphatic victory in Rome, Dokic has now changed her tune about her opponent.

"I knew she would be tough to play today," said the Yugoslav. "Considering who I've played she's probably the toughest to play. I'm glad I have got through."

Dokic said that any animosity between the pair is now in the past.

"We've both tried to forget about what happened and put that behind us. We're not the best of friends but we talk to each other and she's a really nice girl."

Dokic will play South Africa's Joanette Kruger in the quarter-finals.

Kruger came from a set and break down to defeat Spain's Gala Leon Garcia 2-6 6-4, 6-4.

HINGIS THROUGH
Hingis reached the last eight of the $1,200,000 tournament after a tricky 6-4 6-3 win over Russia's Elena Likhovtseva. The world number one had to come from 3-0 down in the second set against the former Australian Open quarter-finalist.

"We had long rallies and it was quite physical," said Hingis.

The Swiss player will now meet Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in Friday's quarter-finals after the Spaniard trounced Russian teenager Lina Krasnoroutskaya 6-1 6-2.

Looking ahead to the match, Hingis said: "She's a great claycourt player. She's very smart and very clever and she plays 200 percent of what she can play."

Mauresmo scraped through her match, beating Slovakian teenager Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 3-6 6-3.

The Frenchwoman, who has now won 29 matches this year and lost just two, is among the favourites for the forthcoming French Open and remains on course for her fifth title of the year in Rome.

IN THE MIND
"It's just the spirit, the way of thinking that I have now in my mind," Mauresmo explained.

"Whatever the changes that have been in my life, professionally or private or whatever, today I'm really focused on the tennis."

Mauresmo, who split with her partner Sylvie Bourdon last year, has been seen with a new companion, a golden retriever puppy. Mauresmo said the puppy was a present but refused to reveal who had given her the special gift.

Mauresmo will play 17th seed Paola Saurez in the last eight. The Argentine was only seeded for the event after Justine Henin was forced to withdraw on the eve of the tournament.

Suarez beat Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-4 6-2 in the third round. Four-time Rome champion Conchita Martinez stormed into the last eight with a 6-0 6-1 win over Denise Chladkova.

Martinez, who took the title here four years running between 1993 and 1996, plays Francesca Schiavone in the last eight. The Italian delighted the home crowd by beating Nadia Petrova 7-5 6-4 in the evening session on Thursday.