Melbourne, Australia — Monica Seles advanced quickly to the Australian Open quarterfinals today when Anabel Medina Garrigues wrenched her knee trying to reach a wide shot.
Seles, a four-time champion here, needed two games to figure out her opponent's style, and then began pushing her around relentlessly.
She reached 4-2 on the point where Medina Garrigues stepped awkwardly on her right foot while running for a backhand in the corner, skipped once and fell to the court, her face contorted in pain.
After several minutes of treatment, Medina Garrigues declined a knee brace and returned to the baseline, skipping lightly as she prepared to receive service.
But she immediately started limping again trying to reach the first shot. On the next point, she returned serve but could only watch as Seles sent a forehand down the line.
In tears, she gave up, accepted an ice bag for her sprained knee and walked off.
The eighth-seeded Seles, who was on court only 33 minutes, next plays the winner of the match between Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Venus Williams and 13th-seeded Magdalena Maleeva.
Two men became first-time Grand Slam event quarterfinalists. No. 25 Jiri Novak won 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 against Dominik Hrbaty, a quarterfinalist here last year. He next meets Stefan Koubek, a 7-5, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-2 winner over Chilean qualifier Fernando Gonzalez.
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