| TOKYO (TICKER) -- After meeting in the semifinals at last week's Australian Open, Martina Hingis of Switzerland and American Monica Seles could be headed to another encounter at the $1.2 million Pan Pacific Open.
Hingis, the top seed, cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory ovee Tanasugarn of Thailand on Friday and will face fifth-seeded Silvia Farina Elia of Italy in the semifinals.
It was Hingis' third win in as many career meetings with Tanasugarn.
Last week, Hingis defeated Seles in the semifinals before wasting four championship points and suffering a 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 loss to American Jennifer Capriati in the Australian Open final.
Hingis has reached the final of the Australian Open in six consecutive years and is trying to do the same in this tournat. She is seeking her fourth title here.
Seles, t third seed, had a rougher time in her quarterfinal match Friday as she posted a 7-6 (11-9), 7-6 (11-9) victory over American qualifier Alexandra Stevenson. Seles faces Russian Anna Kournikova in the semifinals.
Kournikova, who went to tiebreakers in her second-round win over countrywoman Elena Dementieva, defeated Anne Kremer of Luxembourg, 6-4, 6-2, on Frida Seeking her first career title, Kournikova has won only one of five career meetings with Seles.
Farina Elia defeated fourth-seeded Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud, 6-4, 6-3, and is seeking her second career title.
The champion collects $182,000. | 