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Slovak Hantuchova needed to win a battle to go through against an opponent ranked 163 who grew up in the area.

 The seed forced Wickmayer to save five break points in the second game and earned the first set on a break in the final game. In the second, she reached 4-2 but had to save a break point in the last game to close it out.

 Schnyder and Li led also reached the last eight as the wrap-up edition of the popular event prepares to say goodbye to tennis heroine Justine Henin.

 Long-serving Schnyder, playing for the eighth time at the Sportpaleis, advanced over Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-4 while Li beat Slovak teenager Domenika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-3 to face Hantuchova.

 Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky joined compatriot Schnyder in reaching the second round over Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

 But the main course of the week comes on Thursday, when world number one Henin opens her third and final Diamond Games campaign against Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova.

 The event which has awarded several diamond encrusted rackets to any player who wins the tournament three times in a career, has fallen victim to a WTA calendar shake-up from next season and drops from sight after this edition.

 Officials are hoping to stage an invitational exhibition in its place to keep local fans coming through the gates.

 This year's edition is all about Henin, who will be playing for the first time since losing a one-way Australian Open quarter-final last month to Maria Sharapova.

 The 25-year-old Belgian with four Roland Garros titles, last played at home on the WTA in 2003. Her opening match is a 13,000- strong sellout.

 "This week is a real challenge and I like challenges. Everybody expects me to last well into the weekend. Thursday will be really special," Henin said.

 Henin is focusing long-term efforts in 2008 on winning the Wimbledon title which has eluded her and repeating as gold medallist at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

 "Winning in Athens gave me so much pleasure," she said. "The Olympics is very high for me this season.

 "Wimbledon is also a goal, it's the only Grand Slam that I haven't won. There's a lot of pressure, but we will see.

 Schnyder has always enjoyed the tournament but has only a semi- final six years ago to show for it. "I love being back here, I like the atmosphere," said the number 13 and holder of 10 career titles.

 The Swiss reached a contest against Italian Karin Knapp after Sugiyama struck seven double-faults and dropped serve five times.

 Li, seeded ninth, came from 1-4 down in the first set for her victory, and next plays wither second seed Anna Chakvetadze or Swede Sofia Arvidsson.

 She won a title last month in Australia after coming back from a six-month injury absence.

By Bill Scott, dpa