Defending champion Jarmila Gajdosova saw off a spirited fight from Fed Cup team-mate Anastasia Rodionova to advance to the quarter-finals at the Hobart International.
Gajdosova produced just enough to edge the fiercely competitive world number 107, winning 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, as she looks to rebuild her confidence after her Hopman Cup tears and in time for the Australian Open.
The world number 34 is on the cusp of being seeded for the Open, where she has not won a match in six attempts.
Gajdosova looked to be on her way when she raced through the first set in half an hour but lost the last four games of the second struggling for consistency on her first serve.
The first serves she did land produced nine aces, and she saw off a Rodionova fight-back with two in the fifth game of the second set to ensure she remained up a break at 4-1.
Rodionova had come to play, though, and broke back for 4-3 before saving three break points for 4-4.
But the champion brought up match point with a scorching forehand winner in the 10th game to claim the match when Rodionova netted.
The Slovakian-born 24-year-old will play German surprise packet Mona Barthel, the world number 64, who beat second seed Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1, 6-4.
AAP
Tags: tennis, sport, hobart-7000 First posted January 11, 2012 21:59:57
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