Vaidisova wins battle of the ages to reach last eight

PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova became the first player to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open when she crushed Italy's Tathiana Garbin 6-3 6-1 in a fourth-round match today.

The youngest player left in the draw at 18, sixth-seeded Vaidisova proved far too strong for Garbin, the oldest at 29, needing just 66 minutes to brush her opponent aside.

World number 10 Vaidisova, who burst into the limelight by reaching the semi-finals here last year, was in complete control from the opening game up until when Garbin netted a forehand on the first match point.

Vaidisova goes on to meet Serbia's Jelena Jankovic or Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli for a place in the semi-finals.

Reuters BJR GC1637