Williams outplays Kournikova in Antwerp

Top seed Venus Williams blasted past Russian Anna Kournikova 7-5, 6-0 on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the $585,000 Antwerp Open.

The American was forced to save eight break points in the first set against Kournikova before easing away in the second, winning the last eight games of the match to secure victory.

"Anna played really well in the first set, didn't make any easy errors," said Williams after the second round match. "I didn't serve as well as I could but I was happy to up my level in the second set and get the win.

"I'm excited to be playing well in Belgium for the first time, and the Diamond Racket (prize) looks awfully nice."

Kournikova, meanwhile, took solace from her first set performance.

"I had a lot of chances tonight -- I didn't convert on my break points. She played well then and just played better on the crucial points," she said.

"In the second set I lost it a bit mentally and it was too difficult to come back. I was frustrated too, perhaps, at my missed opportunities.

"I am pretty happy with the way I am playing. It shows tonight that at least I was able to live with the number two in the world for a set.

"Most of my losses this year have come to quality players, and in the next few weeks I am looking to take my chances when I play them and try to win these matches."

Elsewhere, second seed Justine Henin beat Els Callens 6-1 6-4 in an all-Belgian match. Henin, runner-up to Williams at Wimbledon in 2001, will next face sixth-seeded Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva who beat American Meilen Tu 6-4 6-3.

Qualifier Eva Dyrberg's dream run continued when the Dane beat seventh seed Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (11-9).