Top seeds Lee Hyung Taik from South Korea, Li Na of China and Danai Udomchoke of Thailand advanced into the quarterfinals in the Asiad tennis tournament singles events here at the Khalifa Tennis Courts, Doha on Sunday.

Lee cruised past Wang Yu from China 6-2, 6-0, while Li easily defeated Sandy Gumulya from Indonesia 6-1, 6-3. However, it was not such a good day for India with dramatic exits of Shikha Uberoiin the women's singles and Uberoi/Sania Mirza in the women's doubles event, mainly because Uberoi was nursing a leg injury.

The seven remaining seeded players all won their matches to reach the last eight of the men's singles event. Lee will now play Uzbekistan's seventh seed Denis Istomin, who beat Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi from Pakistan 6-4, 6-3.

Third seeded Udomchoke demonstrated why he is one of the in-form players thus far in the competition, conceding only two games to Wong Wing Luen Wayne from Hong Kong of China in a masterly 6-1,6-1 performance. He now faces the only unseeded player Jun Woong Sun from South Korea, who ousted China's Sun Peng 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

In the men's doubles, top seeds Leander Paes/Mahesh Bhupathi from India made quick work of Mohammed Ghareeb/Ahmad Mohammad from Kuwait 6-1, 6-1 in the round of 16.

There was drama in the women's singles match involving second seed Zheng Jie from China and Uberoi when the latter was forced to retire with a strained muscle in her left leg while trailing 4-0 in the opening set and departed the court in tears.

Uberoi returned to the court with partner Mirza in the doubles event but failed to reach next round against Japanese pair Ryoko Fuda/Tomoko Yonemura. The Indian duo were seeded third, but lost 6-3, 7-6(6).

India had more to cheer later when Mirza defeated Yoo Mi from South Korea 6-1, 6-4 to reach the last eight in singles.

Mirza finished the day by reaching the semifinals with partner Paes in the mixed doubles. The Indian top seeds won their match against Sonchat Ratiwatana/Montinee Tangphong from Thailand 6-4, 6-3.

They will next play Chinese Yu Xinyuan/Sun Tiantian who defeated Wang Yeu Tzuoo/Chuang Chia Jung from Chinese Taipei 6-2, 6-4.

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2006)