India's Sania Mirza [Images] thrashed local hope Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals of the Japan [Images] Open Tennis Championships, in Tokyo, on Thursday.

The 18-year-old eighth seed will next take on top seed Russian Vera Zvonareva for a place in the semi-finals. Zvonareva advanced to the last eight beating Israel's Shahar Peer 6-3, 7-5.

Sania's second round match was postponed due to heavy rain on Wednesday.

In her first round match, on Tuesday, she registered a crushing 6-1, 6-3 victory over Puerto Rico's Vilmarie Castellvi.

"I thought I played a good match. I had a solid start to the match in the first set. In the second set, she (Aiko) picked up her game, but I think I played well when it mattered on the important points," said Sania after the match.

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