TOKYO Top-seeded Pete Sampras routed British qualifier Tim Henman6-1, 6-2 today and advanced to the quarterfinals of the $1.21 millionJapan Open tennis championships.
In women's quarterfinals, top-seeded Kimiko Date of Japan,hitting well-placed passing shots, crushed Austrian Barbara Schett6-0, 6-1 in 44 minutes.
Advancing with Sampras were the next three men's seeds - MichaelChang, Boris Becker and Ivan Lendl.
Chang beat Chuck Adams 6-1, 6-3, Becker defeated Kenneth Carlsenof Denmark 6-4, 7-5, and Lendl struggled through two tiebreakersbefore outlasting Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (9-7).
Sampras mostly avoided the baseline in windy conditions atAriake Colosseum, charging the net at every opportunity.
The American, ranked first in the world, is seeking his sixthvictory of the season after winning the Salem Open last week.
"I was able to play my game," Sampras said. "This court is nottoo fast and not too slow. It's good."
He said Henman's forehand "was very good, but he needs a bigweapon. At 19, he needs more experience."
Meanwhile, Chang, the 1989 French Open champion, is trying tomove up in the world rankings after dropping to ninth from fifth lastyear.
"I would like to get back in the top four, and also hopefully towin a Grand Slam title," Chang said.
David Wheaton beat ninth-seeded Jonathan Stark 6-2, 6-7 (2-7),6-3 in another third-round match.
In other women's quarterfinals, second-seeded Sabine Appelmansof Belgium defeated Marianne Werdel 6-2, 6-0 in 55 minutes.
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