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Russia's Dinara Safina hits a return against Jill Craybas of the US during the Indian Wells WTA tennis tournament - Source: Reuters -
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Top seed Dinara Safina took a step closer to becoming world number one when she beat American Jill Craybas 7-5 6-4 in the fourth round of the WTA event in Indian Wells.
The Russian again struggled for top form but saw Craybas in two tight sets to advance to a quarter-final against eighth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Ana Ivanovic scrambled past 12th seed Flavia Pennetta 6-4 4-6 6-4, while Vera Zvonareva (seeded four) and Caroline Wozniacki (nine) will meet in another quarter-final.
Craybas had upset Serbian Jelena Dokic and 16th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain on her way to the fourth round and showed plenty of spirit against Safina.
The Russian, who will replace Serena Williams at the top of the rankings if she reaches the final, let slip an early lead but broke in the 11th game and served out for the opening set.
In the second, Craybas recovered an early break to level at 4-4, but Safina broke in the next game and then held her nerve to take her place in the last eight.
Safina said she would need to play well to get the better of Azarenka, who edged Israeli Shahar Peer 7-5 6-4.
"We played three times last year and I won three times (but) she's playing her best tennis," the top seed said.
"I think she's playing great. I really want to play against her, to show my best. We'll see who's going to end up stronger tomorrow."
Zvonareva continued her smooth progress with a 6-4 6-4 win over China's Li Na.
Ninth seed Wozniacki overcame Urszula Radwanska of Poland 7-5 6-3 to set up the clash with Zvonareva, who has not dropped a set during the tournament.
"There are going to be some mistakes and I'm going to make them probably over and over again," she said.
"It's tennis. It's the game. But I accept this and I'm just trying to concentrate on the next point and try and take it one point at a time."
Fifth seed Ivanovic had to battle past Pennetta and the French Open champion will now play Austrian Sybille Bammer, who crushed Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-2.
