ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- Under the watchful eyes of a vigilant bodyguard, Martina Hingis calmly eliminated American Corina Morariu 7-5, 6-2 Thursday in the quarterfinal of the Swisscom Challenge.

The top-ranked player, who received several disturbing faxes from a fixated admirer, appeared unconcerned, coolly coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the opening set to take the victory.

Tournament organizers said the Hingis' clan had called from Filderstadt, Germany, last week, asking that security be stepped up after the five-time Grand Slam tournament champion received bizarre calls and faxes from a fan who was possibly stalking her.

Despite being confronted by a member of Hingis' entourage, asking him to stop calling, the man turned up to watch her play in Zurich.

The WTA Tour confirmed Zurich police had questioned the man -- a 42-year-old Yugoslavian -- after he appeared at a VIP desk Tuesday requesting an interview with Hingis.

Tournament organizers photographed him, distributing the pictures to security throughout the stadium.

``After Seles, every tournament has to take precautions,'' said tournament spokesman Andre Glauser, referring to nine-time Grand Slam tournament champion Monica Seles, who was stabbed in the back by a disturbed Steffi Graf fan in Hamburg, Germany, in 1993. ``We are taking it seriously even if he has never threatened her.

``We are very present and we know exactly where he is sitting.''

Hingis appeared to take the situation in stride.

``Since I've been No. 1, I always try to have someone with me: A tall and handsome guy,'' joked the Swiss star, the winner of seven tournaments this season. ``Your name doesn't have to be Martina Hingis. As a girl in general, it's not always safe to walk around alone.

``But I feel safe in Switzerland. It's definitely the last country I would not feel safe in.''

If Hingis was calm about her stalker, second-seeded Venus Williams was completely unaffected by her past feud with Irina Spirlea, brushing her aside 6-3, 6-2 in a second-round match.

It marked only the second time the two players had met since Spirlea purposely bumped into the young American during a changeover in the semifinals of the 1997 U.S. Open.

This time, it was third-ranked Williams who bounced Spirlea out of the tournament in under an hour.

While the animosity between the two players has ebbed since their famous collision, there were a few dicey moments in their match Thursday. The most notable came when the towering Williams, leading 6-3, 5-1, began to stretch as Spirlea started to serve.

Ending a hamstring stretch with a flashy set of splits on the court, Williams received resounding applause.

Clearly irritated, Spirlea began to imitate the American, making exaggerated leg stretches in return.

``My hamstrings were feeling tired, so I had to loosen the muscles,'' shrugged Williams, who lost the pair's last match after winning the controversial one at the U.S. Open. ``She always shows what she feels.

``And when we started to do a few things on court, the public got involved, knowing what it was about.''

It marked the only moment of interest for the small crowd, with Williams wrapping up the match in under an hour.

It was an important win for Williams, appearing at the tournament without either one of her parents for the first time. Her sister Serena and mother Oracene were in New York on Wednesday to promote the season-ending Chase Championships.

Venus Williams was accompanied only by her trainer and hitting partner.

``I was a bit sad,'' said Williams, the winner of five tournaments this season, capturing titles in Oklahoma City, Lipton, Hamburg, Rome and New Haven. ``I felt a little bit incomplete.

``Before the match I wanted to talk to them, but with the time difference I couldn't reach them and I had to leave a message on the machine,'' she said. ``I was glad to see I could play well even if they aren't here.''

In another second-round match, third-seeded Mary Pierce of France trounced American Chanda Rubin 6-1, 6-2.