PARIS, June 5 (AFP): Three Roland Garros titles, nine Grand Slams in all and yet the appetite to win burns stronger than ever within Monica Seles.

The Yugoslav-born American would have had to build an even bigger trophy cabinet had it not been for an enforced 28-month absence from the game after she was stabbed by a deranged spectator at an event in Hamburg, Germany, in April 1993.

And this year at the French Open she’s been showing her determination to make up lor lost time as she targets a first crown on the slow, red clay since she completed a memorable hattrick in 1992.

The 26-year-old appears, on the evidence of the opening week, to be the main obstacle to Swiss miss Martina Hingis completing her collection of Grand Slam singles titles as Hingis has blown hot and cold on her way to the quarters

Seles, the third seed, now has to take on another home favourite in sixth seed Mary Pierce, who has been in excellent form with the crowd enthralled by her performance on Sunday in knocking out Sweden's Asa Carlsson lor the loss of Just three games.

But Seles lias also been playing some hot stuff -- the only problem for her being a bad head cold for which she has been on antibiotics.

That didn't stop her ousting Amelie Mauresmo I3n ihe fourth round on Sunday -- a repeat of her win over the big-hitting French hope at the Italian Open last month.

Since the stabbing the lefthander has won Just one Slam -- the Australian Open in 1996 -- having won eight before she turned 20. That compares to five for Hingis, who turns 20 in September.

"I still have a sinus and bronchitis problem, so I'm still fighting it (the cold)." said Seles, whose triumph in Rome over Mauresmo gave the American her second Italian Open title a full decade on from her first --proof if any were needed that she is far from being past her shell life

"I just tried to hang in there as it was a tough clay clourt. it was very slippery. I just ran for every ball." said Seles, who Is having to come to terms with the dismal rainy conditions which have persisted for much of the first half of the tournament”

"That's what happens when you live in Florida so long -your immune system gets down.” said Seles, who lias racked up three tournament victories this year.

In her five appearances at Roland Garros since recovering from the physical and mental scars of Hamburg, she has made the quarterfinals three times, the semifinals once and the final once, in 1998.

She lias always made at least the quarters in nine appearances here and is one of Just four players -- the others being Maureen Connolly. Margaret Court and Steffi Graf - to follow up an Australian Open title with a French Open win tn the same year, a feat she performed in both 1991 and 1992.

Seles knows all about Pierce's capabilities, however having lost 6-1.6-1 against the Can ad Ian-born Fr'iichwoman in April s semi-final at Hilton Head.

"It can. be a very difficult match. I've not really had great success against Mary before.” said Seles, who has lost their past two meetings though she leads their series 5-3.

Top seed Hingis lakes on Chanda Rubin of the United States, who has shot back to form after a hand Injury in 1996 almost ended her career.

Hingis recovered from a bizarre mid-match slump against Romanian Kuxandra Dragomir on Sunday and advance to the last eight, winning 6-3. 0-6, 6-1. but she, like Seles, has been feeling the cold.

However, she knows at this stage the luxury of a third set cannot be guaranteed.

At Roland Garros you have to fight through every round You nave to really want It." she observed.

The other match-ups see three-time champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, seeded eight, take on US fourth seed Venus Williams, back near her best after tendinitis problems in her wrists forced her out for six months, while fifth seed Conchita Martinez faces qualifier Marta Marrero in an all-Span-ish encounter.

Williams ousted German 1 1th seed Anke Huber 7-6, 6-2 but is short of match practice having only played two tournaments this year coming into the Open because of her wrist problems.

Sanchez-Vicario, who will get married this summer, is at 28 perhaps not the force she once was - though her last title here came just two years ago.

But she can still scurry around the court with the best of them and her experience will make her slight favourite.

Martinez nas 20 clay court titles to her name and is looking forward to her I Oth quarterfinal here, though she admitted that In the previous round against Ai Sugiyama of Japan she didn't feel she played her best tennis.

Marrero, a 17-year-old qualifier from the Canary Islands. showed tenacity in recovering from a set down to oust Rossana de los Rjos of Paraguay, a fellow qualifier, but Martinez's experience should mean the end of the line for the blonde teen ranked just 108 in the world

Marrero is only ihe second qualifier to make the last eight during the Open Era.