Friday, October 6 2006 14:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tashkent: Sania Mirza overcame a tough challenge from Hana Sromova of the Czech Republic to move into the quarterfinals of the USD 145,000 Tashkent Open women's tennis here today.

Third seeded Sania made light of a delayed start due to rains to defeat Sromova 6-4 7-5 in the second round match.

In the morning, before the play was suspended, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Sun Tiantian of China, both unseeded, advanced to the last-eight.

Azarenka defeated qualifier Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 36 minutes. Cibulkova had knocked out No. 7 seed Galina Vosboeva of Russia in the first round.

Sun eliminated Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus, also 6-4, 6-4.