Tokyo: Seventh seed Jelena Jankovic avoided the rush for the exit at the Pan Pacific Open by reaching the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The Serb, the highest-ranked survivor following a flood of upsets at the $2 million Tokyo tournament, advanced after Russian opponent Elena Vesnina retired with a thigh muscle strain.
Jankovic, who finished the 2008 season as the world number one, was cruising 6-1, 3-0 when Vesnina threw in the towel in cold conditions under a closed centre court roof.
"My goal is to make the (WTA Tour's season-ending) championships," the world number eight told reporters.
"I'm trying not to put pressure on myself thinking about what's happened to the other seeds."
Jankovic, who came to Japan after warm weather training in Dubai, next plays 14th seed Marion Bartoli after the Frenchwoman scored a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 win over Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Current number one Dinara Safina, second seed Venus Williams and French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova all lost their opening matches on Monday after first-round byes.
A tournament that started with nine of the world's top 10 was down to just two before the close of play on Wednesday.
Tokyo organisers are hoping for a strong run by Russian pin-up Maria Sharapova to boost ticket sales for the weekend after the early exit of the top seeds.
Former world number one Sharapova, 25th in the world following shoulder surgery last October, was playing compatriot Alisa Kleybanova later in the day.
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