PALERMO, Italy — Former champions Patty Schnyder and Sara Errani advanced to the Palermo Open quarterfinals with straight-set victories today.

Second-seeded Schnyder of Switzerland, the champ on her last appearance in 1998, beat Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain 6-2, 6-2 in a second-round match. Defending champ Errani pleased the home crowd by getting past Patricia Mayr of Austria 7-6 (6), 6-1.

In Friday's quarterfinals, Schnyder will meet Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany, who stopped Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus 7-6 (5), 6-3. Errani faces Yaroslava Shvedova after the Kazak topped Alberta Brianti of Italy 6-3, 6-2.

The other quarterfinals pit top-seeded Flavia Pennetta against No. 7 Aravane Rezai of France, and Tathiana Garbin of Italy against Olga Govortsova of Belarus.