Russians Dominated The Tennis Courts in China Open With Nikolay Davydenko And Svetlana Kuznetsova Advancing to The Quarterfinals in Beijing

BEIJING — Russia’s tennis stars dominated the courts at the China Open yesterday, with fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko and sixth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova advancing to the quarterfinals in Beijing.

Davydenko, who won his third ATP title of the year in Malaysia last weekend, trounced Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, allowing the world number 22 only one game in a 6-1, 6-0 romp.

The 28-year-old Russian, the world number eight, is fighting to secure a place in the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London in November, which will feature the top eight men’s singles players.

Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Fernando Gonzalez and Robin Soderling are also vying for the final three spots in the London draw. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro and Novak Djokovic have qualified.

Roddick, the defending China Open champion, was upset in his opening match on Tuesday. The other London hopefuls are all still in contention in Beijing.

In the quarterfinals, Davydenko will face Croatian eighth seed Marin Cilic, who rallied to defeat France’s Julien Benneteau in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-0.

On the women’s side of the $6.6-million mixed ATP/WTA event, Kuznetsova lost her focus mid-match but stormed back in the third set to beat Ukraine’s Alona Bondarenko, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0.

Kuznetsova, who has won two Grand Slams including this year’s French Open, took control of the first set with a service break to go up 4-2 and closed it out easily, using her big forehand to get herself out of trouble on key points.

But the 24-year-old Russian faltered in the second, having trouble in each of her service games and losing her range from the baseline before surrendering the set to the 25-year-old Ukrainian.

Kuznetsova then showed some grit, breaking Bondarenko at the start of the deciding set and cruising to victory without dropping another game.

Talented Russian teen Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who ousted world number three Venus Williams from the tournament on Monday, continued her winning ways, defeating Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Kuznetsova and the 18-year-old Pavlyuchenkova will face off in an all-Russian quarterfinal.

Two more Russians — Maria Sharapova and world number four Elena Dementieva — were due on center court in Beijing later yesterday, along with Djokovic.