Wozniacki first into Eastbourne quarters with French in pursuit

Dane Caroline WozniackiEastbourne, England - Teenager Dane Caroline Wozniacki booked the first spot in the semi-finals of the Eastbourne Championships Thursday, leading a pair of French players into the final four.

The 18-year-old Wozniacki, the highest seed remaining in the field at sixth, dispatched Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-2 at Devonshire Park at the Wimbledon warm-up event.

Virginie Razzano defeated eighth-seeded holder Agnieszwa Radwanska of Poland 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 while 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli advanced over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-1, 6-4.

The victory was particularly significant for Razzano, with the 26-year-old who eliminated top seed Elena Dementieva in the second round, playing her first WTA quarter-final on grass since Birmingham in 2001.

Razzano broke four times in a contest lasting for almost two hours. Bartoli's victory improved her record this season to 28-12.

Wozniazki will next play Bartoli in an event which concludes on Saturday to allow competitors time to get to London for final training at the All England club prior to Monday's start of Wimbledon.

The ninth-ranked Dane owns a 3-1 record against her French opponent, but Bartoli won their last meeting less than two months ago on clay in Stuttgart.

"My goal is to reach the Top five," said breakthrough player Wozniacki, champion this season at Ponte Vedra Beach. "There is always something to improve in my game. It's all about fixing the small things that can make a big difference."

Wozniacki will await an opponent as Russian Vera Dushevina plays Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak in the last of the women's quarter-finals. (dpa)