Henin hones her game with three-hour marathon win

The Belgian led a parade of seeds into the last eight, with number two Svetlana Kuznetsova and the third and fourth-seeded Serbs Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic also advancing

   World number one Henin said her three-hour battle on Wednesday with Slovenian Srebotnik was just what she needed to kick-start her season two months after it started.

 "I'm glad we had the third set," said Henin, winner of all 17 matches she has played in Dubai, lifting four titles.

 "It was the first set of my season where I enjoyed my game. I was able to find my rhythm. This was the match that I needed," said the Belgian, winner of titles in Sydney and Antwerp this season but dealing with a right knee problem required a cortisone shot a month ago.

 "I started winning some easy points on my serve. She played a good match, girls always play their best against me."

   Henin's 13-ace performance took her into a Thursday quarter-final against Italy's Francesca Schiavone, who beat Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-3, 6-2.

 Second seed Kuznetsova posted an easy second-round win, crushing Czech Lucie Safarova 6-1, 6-2.

 That rapid-fire win was in huge contrast to the three-hour marathon Anna Chekvetadze needed to hold off Russia's unseeded Dinara Safina 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-3.

 Between them, the pair produced 17 double faults and just four aces in a see-saw affair which gave Chekvetadze more hope in her game after losing last week in her first Doha round.

 In the late-night session, Serb Ivanovic showed recovery from an ankle injury, defeating Czech Nicole Vaidisova 6-4, 6-0. 

   Jankovic, the number four, fought off frustration at her own game before ultimately controlling India's Sania Mirza 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

   "I was fighting and struggling the whole match," said Jankovic, an Australian Open semi-finalist. "I got so angry at myself.

 "Its difficult playing in your first match of the week, I had to get used to the conditions.

 "She was by far the better player than I was, but I had some luck. I was frustrated and maybe tired - but I cannot make excuses."

   Jankovic produced seven double-faults in the two-and-a-quarter- hours battle, losing serve five times while breaking the 32nd-ranked Indian six times. Each woman missed on 10 break chances.

 Mirza is the darling of the Dubai crowds, with thousands of her compatriots based in the oil-rick emirate.

 Chakvetadze and quarter-final opponent Jankovic have met eight times with the Russian leading the series 6-2; she has won their last two meetings, both in 2007.

 Kuznetsova, the 2004 runner-up, playing for the sixth consecutive year at the event, now faces doubles partner Amelie Mauresmo, who beat Japan's Akiko Morigami 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. 

By Bill Scott, dpa