But on a hot summer-like day, Hingis had to fight off two set points while uncharacteristically muffing some easy shots before staying unbeaten since returning from a month-long layoff.

``I make a few mistakes, then the other people realize they can play too,'' Hingis said, laughing. ``Hopefully, that's the one weak match you have every tournament.''

Hingis fought off two points while trailing 6-5 in a 57-minute first set as Talaja kept her off-balance.

But in the tiebreaker, Hingis stopped making errors.

``I concentrated myself fully,'' she said. ``I didn't want to play two more long sets -- it was hot out there.''

Germany's Anke Huber, seeded eighth, also advanced and improved her record to 13-1 on clay this year, beating Spain's Magui Serna 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

But the former Australian Open finalist, on the comeback trail, needed 2 hours, 10 minutes, before Serna tore a string on her racket while swinging to set up Huber's third and final match point.

``I could have made it a lot easier on myself,'' said Huber, who rolled to a 5-0 first set lead. ``But I love to win close matches -- that's how you build confidence.''

Huber's only loss came last week to Hingis at the Betty Barclay Cup.

South Africa's Amanda Coetzer, seeded 10th, upset No. 4 Julie Halard-Decugis of France 6-2, 6-2.

France's Sandrine Testud, the fifth seed, advanced to a quarterfinal meeting with Hingis, beating the Czech Republic's Denisa Chlakova 7-6 (0), 6-2.

Spain's Gala Leon Garcia, who beat Anna Kournikova in the second round, defeated Chanda Rubin of the United States 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3.

Spain's Conchita Martinez, the No. 3 seed, defeated Argentina's Paola Suarez 6-4, 6-3.

South Africa's Joannette Kruger stopped the run of 17-year-old Bianka Lamade, 6-0, 6-3, after the German teen-ager had beaten two top-60 players while playing in the main draw of a WTA event for the first time.