Two-time defending champion Amelie Mauresmo of France advanced to the quarter-finals of the Advanta Tennis Championships in Philadelphia, on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Japan's Ai Sugiyama.
Mauresmo hadn't won a match in a month but looked right at home at the event, where she has a perfect 9-0 record, having won here in both 2003 and 2004.
"You get a feel when things are coming back," Mauresmo told reporters after the match.
"Even in practice the last few days and last week, I really felt better and better."
Fourth-ranked Mauresmo has been battling injuries and is trying to get back into form for next week's WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles.
It was the third-seeded Frenchwoman's eight win over Sugiyama in as many career meetings.
Sixth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova also advanced, defeating compatriot Yaroslava Shvedova 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the round of eight.
Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic was another second-round winner, beating Bulgaria's Sesil Karatantcheva 6-0, 6-1.
In the final match of the night, American Lisa Raymond needed three sets to subdue German Stephanie Gehrlein 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
