French Open, Day Seven

Sharapova sails into fourth round

ESPN staff

May 28, 2011 « UFC 133: Evans v Ortiz II - Official fight card | Murray hobbles past Berrer to reach last-16 in Paris »

Maria Sharapova will meet Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round © Getty Images

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After two days of upsets in the women's draw, Maria Sharapova made serene progress into the fourth round of the French Open as the top seeds avoided any further humiliation in Paris.

After seeing Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur fall by the wayside this week, Sharapova was keen to avoid a similar fate, and she wasted little time in sealing her place in the last-16 with a 6-2 6-3 victory over world No. 129 Yung-Jan Chan.

With the three other major titles already in her possession, Sharapova is bidding to complete the set in Paris this week, and may already have one eye on the final after seeing the draw open up.

Sharapova will take on Agnieszka Radwanska for a place in the quarter-finals after the Pole ended Yanina Wickmayer's French Open challenge with a 6-4 6-4 victory.

Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka is one player who could stop Sharapova, after the Belarusian shrugged off the challenge of clay-court specialist Roberta Vinci with a 6-3 6-2 win to underline her status as the new favourite to clinch the title next weekend.

Azarenka will now face Elena Makarova, who saw off Kaia Kanepi in straight sets, while Australian Open finalist Li Na needed just 61 minutes to seal a 6-2 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Next up for Li is Madrid Open champion Petra Kvitova, who also wasted little time as she strode into the last-16 with a straight-sets win over Elena Baltacha's victor Vania King. Kvitova dropped her serve three times but was too strong for the American as the No. 9 seed sealed a 6-4 6-2 win.