FLUSHING -- Although Anna-Lena Groenefeld came into the matchup with a favorable record, the German was only facing Dinara Safina for the first time in 2008.
The sixth seed from Russia, Safina reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open for the second time in three years with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Groenefeld on Monday.
With the victory, Safina evened her career record against the German to 2-2. The two players were meeting for the first time since 2006.
A first-time Grand Slam finalist at the French Open, Safina has been one of the hottest players on the women's tour this summer, reaching a final in each of her previous three tournaments and six of her last seven.
A winner at Berlin, Los Angeles and the Rogers Cup and a silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics, the 22-year-old next will face No. 16 Flavia Pennetta of Italy.
It appears to be a favorable matchup for Safina, who owns a 4-0 record in the series, including two wins this year.
Pennetta advanced to her first quarterfinal at a Grand Slam by taking advantage of a struggling Amelie Mauresmo, 6-3, 6-0.
The Italian saw Mauresmo, the former world No. 1, commit 14 double faults en route to being broken seven times. Pennetta also struggled with her serve, getting only 42 percent of her first serves in, but only had two double faults.
A two-time Grand Slam champion, Mauresmo has failed to make it past the fourth round in each of her last seven appearances in a major.
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