Sugiyama made easy work of beating Gagliardi
Japan's Ai Sugiyama was the only seeded player to advance to the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Open on Thursday.
The tournament's fourth-ranked player, a Wimbledon doubles finalist this year, cruised past Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-3 6-3.
Third seed Tamarine Tanasugarn, of Thailand, lost 6-4 6-7 6-2 to Australia's Alicia Molik, who reached the third round of last year's Australian Open.
France's Nathalie Dechy, the eighth seed, went out to compatriot Stephanie Foretz 3-6 6-4 6-4.
Ninth seed Rossana de los Rios, of Paraguay, was beaten 3-6 6-4 6-3 by Australia's Nicole Pratt.
South Korea's Cho Yoon-Jeong, 22, received a walkover into the next round when her opponent, Rachel McQuillan of Australia, defaulted due to illness.
Foretz, Molik and Cho will all be appearing in their first WTA tour quarter-finals on Friday.
Results from Thursday's action at the Shanghai Open:
Second round:
A Molik (Aus) bt (3) T Tanasugarn (Tha) 6-4 6-7 (3/7) 6-2
(4) Ai Sugiyama (Jpn) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (Swi) 6-3 6-3
Nicole Pratt (Aus) bt Rossana de los Rios (Par) 3-6 6-4 6-3
Stephanie Foretz (Fra) bt Nathalie Dechy (Fra x8) 3-6 6-4 6-4
Cho Yoon-Jeong (Kor) bt Rachel McQuillan (Aus) by walkover
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