Top seeds advance to Swedish Open semis

Pennetta, the No. 1 seed, needed 2 hours to get past Jill Craybas 6-4, 6-4, fighting off 10 break points. Pennetta won just 11 more points (87-76) over the course of the match but was able to cash in two of nine break-point chances she forced on Craybas.

Other quarterfinal winners Thursday were second-seeded Aravane Rezai, No. 3-seeded Lucie Safarova and No. 4 Gisela Dulko.

Rezai topped Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-1, 6-4 behind six service breaks and winning 56 percent of the points on Santonja's serve.

Safarova played even longer than Pennetta in getting past Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Safarova had her serve broken three times, including twice in the second set, but answered with four breaks of her own.

Dulko was on the court just 16 minutes and built a 5-0 lead before Ana Vrljic retired.

Friday's semifinals will send Pennetta against Dulko and Rezai against Safarova. The winners of those matches will play Saturday with a first-place prize of $37,000 at stake.

Copyright 2010 United Press International.