Caroline Wozniacki in Indian Open

Number two seed, Dane Caroline Wozniacki, continued her fine play while 4th seeded Elena Dementieva and impressive Aussie Samantha Stosur joined five other winners in the quarterfinals at the BNB Paribas Open. Only Dementieva and Wozniacki remain of the top seeds at Indian Wells.

Russian Nadia Petrova pushed hard against Princess Caroline, a blonde photo-shoot-waiting-to-happen, but Wozniacki is beginning to return to her 2009 form. The pretty 19-year old was the tour’s top winner last year with 67 tour victories. There is nothing glamorous about Petrova’s game.

The husky Russian just comes at you with everything she has. When she is on, she is a very difficult opponent but when she is off, she’s a cupcake. She was a bit of both on Tuesday in the 6-3, 3-6,. 6-0 loss. After Wozniacki gained a hard earned second game break in the third set and followed with a hold to go up 3-0, Petrova seemed to drop the whip. For the Dane, it was an important win. Before Indian Wells, her 5-5 record was jeopardizing her credibility.

8th seed Samantha Stosur has been impressive from beginning to end. The blonde Australian comeback queen appears more fit than last year and has added some pep to her high kicking serve. She needed all of her game to dispose of last year’s champion Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 7-5. The hot playing Zvonareva had been the last of the six former winners at Indian Wells.

The win was Stosur’s fourth straight against the Russian. This is the 25-year old’s first trip to the quarters at Indian Wells and she appears a good bet against surprise of the tournament Maria Jose Martines Sanchez whop surprised the last Belgian standing, Yanina Wickmayer with a 6-4, 6-4 upset. The gritty Indian Wells courts seem comfortable for Sanchez. Wickmayer will join her disappointed Belgian teammates in preparing for Miami.

Jalena Jankovic, the erratic 6th seed, dominated over-achiever Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2 to advance against another tournament surprise 27th seeded Alisa Kleybanova. The Russian was stretched but prevailed against Carla Suarez Navarro 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4. As she has shown throughout, the Russian is toughest when the pressure is on. She juts may show Jankovic the same stuff.

Wozniacki will face Chinese dream-come-true Zheng Jie who ousted wild card Australian Alicia Molik 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (1). Molik clawed her way back but hit the wall in the deciding tiebreak.

Fifth seed Aggie Radwanska will me Dementieva in what seems the most balanced quarterfinal pairing. Radwanska was smooth in her 6-3, 6-2 win over 11th seeded Marion Bartoli of France. Dementieva continued her steady play in erasing hard hitting Aravane Rezai 6-3, 6-3.

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