Williams defeated Russia's Anna Kournikova for the second time in as many weeks, posting a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) victory in the second round Wednesday. She also defeated Kournikova in the quarterfinals of the Proximus Diamond Games at Antwerp, Belgium and has won all seven of their meetings.

The 21-year-old Williams captured her WTA Tour-leading third title on Sunday when she defeated Justin Henin of Belgium, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, in the final at Antwerp. She opened the year with a victory at Gold Coast, Australia and claimed the Open Gaz de France in Paris two weeks ago.

Williams is 16-1 in 2002, with her lone defeat coming to countrywoman Monica Seles in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open last month.

Seles, the second seed here, cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Italy's Tathiana Garbin. Seles also is coming off a tournament triumph. She captured her 52nd career title with a straight-sets victory over Tamarine Tanasugarn on Sunday in the Qatar Open.

The 28-year-old Seles is within three titles of Britain's Virginia Wade for seventh place on the WTA list of most career tournament victories in the Open era (since 1968).

Seles, who finished last year with a flourish by capturing three straight crowns, is 19-4 this season, reaching at least the semifinals in all four events she has played this year.

Third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France also moved into the quarterfinals as she breezed to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi. Mauresmo lost to Williams in the semifinals last week and is seeking her seventh career title.

Tanasugarn, the sixth seed, ousted Russia's Tatiana Panova, 6-2, 6-3 and seventh-seeded Spaniard Angeles Montolio defeated Slovakia's Janetta Husarova, 6-3, 6-2.

Russian Anastasia Myskina earned a quarterfinal meeting with Williams as she defeated Croatia's Jelena Kostanic, 6-3, 6-2 and Slovakia's Tina Pisnik bested German Barbara Rittner, 7-5, 6-4.

The champion collects $93,000.