Sharapova cruises into fourth round at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (TICKER) — Maria Sharapova is finding her form at the Australian Open.
The top seed from Russia, Sharapova rolled into the fourth round at the year’s first major with a 6-3, 6-1 rout of No. 30 Tathiana Garbin of Italy on Saturday.
Sharapova nearly was stunned by Camille Pin of France in the first round but dropped just three games against countrywoman Anastassia Rodionova on Thursday and was nearly as efficient against Garbin.
“I think with every single match, you know, it’s going to get tougher and you know that you have to improve,” Sharapova said. “I try to look at this match a little bit, see what I still think I need to get better.”
The reigning U.S. Open champion, Sharapova will oppose Vera Zvonareva in the round of 16 after the 22nd-seeded Russian surprisingly dominated 13th-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic, 6-1, 6-2.
Sixth seed and three-time champion Martina Hingis of Switzerland moved on with a 6-2, 6-1 rout of Japan’s Aiko Nakamura. Hingis will take on either No. 9 Dinara Safina of Russia or No. 19 Na Li of China in the fourth round and will have an extra day to prepare, as their third-round match was postponed until Sunday because of steady rain.
“Well, it’s always a great feeling to be in the second week of a Grand Slam,” Hingis said. “That’s what you come here for. Being seeded sixth, that’s what you expect, at least. I’m happy I was able to at least fulfill my commitment so far.”
Nobody dropped fewer games in the first two rounds of the women’s draw than Kim Clijsters, and the fourth seed from Belgium continued her strong play with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over No. 29 Alona Bondarenko of the Ukraine.
The 23-year-old Clijsters, who has said she will retire at the end of the year, posted a “double-bagel” victory over Russian Vasilisa Bardina in the first round Tuesday and followed with a 6-3, 6-0 rout of Japan’s Akiko Morigami two days later.
“I didn’t get tested at all in the first three matches,” Clijsters said. “I saved all my energy. I think that’s a good thing to take with me into the second week.
“(But) everything needs to get better. As you play better players, you automatically play better. I think everything from the serve to the return, everything has to be a little bit more focused, little bit more powerful. Just everything has to be better, I think, when you play the better players.”
Clijsters, who won her lone Grand Slam at the 2005 U.S. Open, will meet either No. 15 Daniela Hantuchova or American Ashley Harkleroad in the fourth round. Their match also was pushed back a day because of the weather.
Harkleroad and Serena Williams are the only American women remaining in the draw.
Eighth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder rallied past Australian Alicia Molik, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, in a night match. She next will play either 12th-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze or Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia, whose match was postponed.