PALERMO, Italy - After reaching the quarters of Wimbledon, Kaia Kanepi crashed out in the first round of Bastad last week; but she has that winning feeling again, and on Thursday reached the quarterfinals of Palermo.

Kanepi, the No.5 seed at the clay court stop, never lost serve and broke four times in a 61 62 win over young Romanian talent Ioana Raluca Olaru.

Kanepi upset Sam Stosur en route to her second Grand Slam quarterfinal at the All-England Club, and she very nearly made the semis, holding five match points on Petra Kvitova before falling. Last week in Bastad, she fell first round.

"It was tough to go from grass back to clay, and I really felt it in Bastad last week," Kanepi said. "But I've had some good practice sessions since then and I'm starting to feel good again on clay. My matches have been tough so far and my opponents have been playing well. My game has been a little up and down.

"I hope to keep improving in my coming matches here."

Two of the Top 3 seeds were also in action and they both moved through, albeit with some difficulty. No.3 seed Sara Errani built a 60 42 lead and eventually closed out qualifier Mirjana Lucic, 60 76(4), and No.2 seed Aravane Rezai beat Mariana Duque Marino in another tight two-setter, 76(3) 63.

In the only other match of the day, Italian wildcard Romina Oprandi edged Slovenia's Masa Zec Peskiric, 64 75.

In Friday's quarterfinals, Rezai will play Oprandi, Errani will play Kanepi, No.1 seed Flavia Pennetta will play qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives and No.8 seed Julia Goerges will play Jill Craybas. Pennetta, Llagostera Vives, Goerges and Craybas all won through to the quarterfinals on Wednesday.