Updated

Linz, Austria (SportsNetwork.com) - Top seed Angelique Kerber and two-time champion Ana Ivanovic were among Wednesday's winners at the Generali Ladies Linz tennis tournament.

The German left-hander Kerber overcame a bagel first set to erase Romanian Monica Niculescu 0-6, 6-1, 6-2 in an opening-round affair, while the third- seeded former world No. 1 Ivanovic got past fellow former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals on the indoor hardcourts at TipsArena Linz.

Ivanovic titled here in 2008 and 2010.

The recent Tokyo runner-up Kerber's second-round opponent on Thursday will be Romanian Alexandra Cadantu.

In some other second-round action, fourth-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro beat Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-4 and fifth-seeded Wimbledon semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium blitzed Italian Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-1 on Day 3. Suarez Navarro and Flipkens will square off in Friday's quarters.

Italian Karin Knapp upended eighth-seeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), while the aforementioned Cadantu topped Austrian wild card Melanie Klaffner 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in round one. The former top-10 performer Hantuchova titled here in 2007.

In addition to Kerber-Cadantu on Thursday, second-seeded American Sloane Stephens will battle former top-10 German Andrea Petkovic in the round of 16.

This week's winner will claim $43,700.