• WTA Tour

Rampant Clijsters storms into Eastbourne quarters

Sam Stosur is the top seed left in the draw © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Watson stuns Wozniak to reach round two
  
• News: Keothavong beaten by Hantuchova
  
• Profile: Elena Baltacha | Kim Clijsters

Kim Clijsters fired a warning to her rivals ahead of Wimbledon, with a dominant victory over a hapless Lucie Safarova at the AEGON International in Eastbourne.

The 2005 champion has not played a competitive match on grass since her semi-final defeat to Justine Henin at Wimbledon in 2006, but it looked as if she had never been away as she steamrolled her 6-1 6-0 opponent in less than 40 minutes.

"Just in my back yard at home, that's the only time I've spent on grass, just playing around, but I haven't played tennis on grass," she said. "It's nice to be back and it's nice to play good tennis on grass this soon."

Clijsters will now meet Victoria Azarenka in the last-eight, after the world No. 15 outclassed British youngster Heather Watson. Watson, the US Open junior champion, recorded an impressive victory over Aleksandra Wozniak on Tuesday, but was broken six times as she suffered a 6-1 6-1 defeat.

Elena Baltacha remains the only British hope left in the draw after she battled past China's Jie Zheng. The British No. 1 looked much fresher than her opponent after reaching the second round courtesy of an injury to her first-round opponent Na Li and powered to a 6-2 1-6 6-3 win with a series of well-crafted winners.

Baltacha's quarter-final opponent will be Sam Stosur, who demonstrated the height of her confidence as she eliminated Daniela Hantuchova. The French Open finalist fired 13 aces as she continued her impressive form with a 6-3 3-6 6-4 victory. Stosur, seeded third in Eastbourne, is the top seed remaining in the draw following the premature exits of Caroline Wozniacki and Francesca Schiavone.

"I don't know if I'm cruising but I'm getting through, so that's a good thing," said Stosur. "The first two matches aren't easy but to get through is good and I get another chance to play tomorrow."

Ekaterina Makarova provided the surprise result of the day as she overcame French Open quarter-finalist Nadia Petrova in a supremely dominant 6-2 6-0 win.

2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli had to work hard to continue her interest in the tournament as she fought back from losing the set to secure a 3-6 6-4 6-4 win. Svetlana Kuznetsova and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez also sealed quarter-final spots.

At the Unicef Open at 's-Hertogenbosch, top seed Justine Henin made light work of her second round tie against Italy's Roberta Vinci. The former world No. 1, making her first appearance on grass since 2007, hit six double faults but nevertheless wrapped up a 6-3 6-3 victory.

Henin will face Kristina Barrios next after the German took out Sybille Bammer 3-6 6-2 6-3. There were also wins for Yaroslava Shvedova and Alexandra Dulgheru.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.