Venus reaches quarter-finals in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Feb 21 (Reuters) Venus Williams continued her comeback from injury by reaching the quarter-finals of the Memphis International with a 6-4 6-4 win over 16-year-old Dane Caroline Wozniacki.

In her first event in more than four months because of wrist and knee injuries, former world number one Williams staved off a late rally from her opponent to reach the last eight yesterday.

After struggling past Japan's Akiko Morigami in the first round, Williams showed a few flashes of her old self as she battled back from a poor start.

Wozniacki, who reached the quarter-finals in Memphis last year as a 15-year-old, played smartly and consistently to lead 4-2.

But the seventh-seeded American won eight straight games to win the first set and take a 4-0 lead in the second.

Wozniacki fought back to 4-4 but Williams held serve and then clinched victory on her fourth match point to set up a quarter-final clash with fellow American Laura Granville or Slovakian Jarmila Gajdosova.

American Meilen Tu joined Williams in the quarter-finals with a surprise 6-3 6-1 victory over her compatriot eighth seed Jill Craybas.

In first-round action, top seed Shahar Peer of Israel battled past Finland's Emma Laine 6-4 6-3 to set up a clash with Milagros Sequera of Venezuela, who beat Russian qualifier Alina Jidkova 6-4 1-6 7-5.

Fourth-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur moved into the second round with a 6-2 7-5 win over Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-2 7-5 while there were also wins for Camille Pin of France, Swede Sofia Arvidsson and Slovakian Gajdosova.

REUTERS AY KN0943