Henin has reason for optimism at Zurich Open

Justin Henin was already a favorite to win the $1.34 Zurich Open, but the odds of a victory here have gradually improved.

The top-seeded Belgian opened play at the hardcourt tournament Thursday with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over unseeded Russian Vera Zvonareva in second-round action.

Henin's path to the final in the top of the draw has become increasingly easier during the last two days as every other seeded play has been upset.

On Wednesday, third seed Jelena Jankovic and No. 8 Amelie Mauresmo made second-round exits and seventh-seeded Daniela Hantuchova followed suit early Thursday when she was toppled by lucky loser Agnieszka Radwanska , 6-3, 6-3.

It's not as if Henin needs the extra help, considering she has won her last three tournaments including her second career U.S. Open crown. She captured her last title - the 37th of her career - at Stuttgart two weeks ago, needing three sets to dispatch Tatiana Golovin in the final.

The result was the only time that Henin had dropped a set over her last 17 matches. She has not lost a match since her shocking collapse against Marion Bartoli in the Wimbledon semifinals.

"It was tough for me at the beginning of the match to find a good rhythm," Henin said. "I needed to get used to the conditions. But at 5-3 and then the second set I started to play better."

Winning eight titles this season and qualifying for the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, Henin also already has clinched the world No. 1 ranking through the end of the year. It is the third time that the Belgian will end a year atop the rankings.

The 25-year-old's opponent in the round of eight will be Radwanska, a native of Poland who secured her spot in the draw when defending champion Maria Sharapova backed out due to a shoulder injury.

The 18-year-old has made the most of the tournament to this point, knocking off Shahar Peer in the first round and upsetting Hantuchova, a finalist here last year.

"I'm very excited and so happy to have done so well here, especially after losing in qualifying," Radwanska said. "The cutoff here in was incredible and with all the top players being here it's a great success for me to make the quarterfinals."

Though she avoided Hantuchova, second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova got a scare Thursday before battling to a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory against unseeded Austrian Sybille Bammer .

After dropping the opening set, the 22-year-old Russian fell behind 4-2 in the second before rattling off four consecutive games to take the set. Her fifth break of the match in the third set finally put the pesky Bammer away.

"I'm not satisfied at all," Kuznetsova said of her performance. "I have to play much better if I'm to beat the top players, but I know it was just a matter of time before I started to play better."

Italy's Francesca Schiavone awaits Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals after defeating Switzerland's Patty Schnyder , 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Schiavone ran down everything Schnyder through at her which gradually ate into the Swiss's confidence. By the middle of the third set, Schnyder was mis-hitting countless shots.

"She plays like no one else," Schnyder said of Schiavone.

Kuznetsova has reached the semifinals in each the past two weeks on Tour, losing to Serena Williams at the Kremlin Cup most recently. She also reached the penultimate round here last year.