Hingis sets up Mirza clash

She plays home favourite Sania Mirza, the fifth seed, who won a battle of 19-year-olds against fourth seed Aravane Rezai, a hard-hitting French player of Iranian origin, 6-4 7-5.

The Swiss top-seed dropped serve to trail 3-0 in the first set, but shifted gears to subdue her 29-year-old Thai rival in a contest lasting two hours.

Hingis, the world number nine, was unstoppable in the second set as she forced her rival into errors, eventually converting her second match point when Tanasugarn sent a return wide.

"She came out very well in the beginning," said Hingis. "I was under pressure, but I realised I had to make her play more."

The five-times grand slam winner has already won the Italian Open since making a full-time comeback this year, having retired in 2002 with foot and ankle injuries.

Mirza had struggled after a superb 2005 when she became thefirst Indian woman to win a WTA title and rose to 31 in the world.

The hard-hitting Rezai broke Mirza to go 4-1 up in the second set, but dropped serve in the seventh game to allow the Indian back into the match.

The French player, who needed courtside treatment for shoulder trouble, lost serve again before Mirza served out for the match.

"This is the match everyone was expecting," said Hingis, then joked: "I hope I'll also have some support tomorrow."

Uzbek qualifier Iroda Tulyaganova rallied to beat Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva 4-6 6-2 6-2, continuing her excellent run as she returns to top flight tennis after a lengthy layoff following elbow surgery in 2003.

She meets another Russian, Olga Poutchkova, who saw off Italy's Alberta Brianti 7-5 6-3.