Three-time Roland Garros champion Monica Seles had a bit of a struggle on a hot and sticky morning, unable to find much range on her forehand but finally downing Bulgarian Lubomira Bacheva 6-3, 6-4.
Seles, who reached the final here last year, was the far more consistent player, committing only 20 unforced errors, while the 24-year-old aggressive Bulgarian committed 38. The 25-year-old American, who recently won her first clay court title in seven years at Amelia Island, was her normal devastating self from her favored backhand side, cracking 10 winners.
Seles will play the winner of the Raluca Sandu-Maria Antonio Sanchez-Lorenzo match.