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Russia's Maria Sharapova returns the ball against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova during her Stanford Classic match in California on Wednesday. (REUTERS)
Second-seeded Maria Sharapova reached the quarter-finals of the $721,000 WTA hardcourt tournament in California on Wednesday, setting up a possible showdown with Serena Williams.
Sharapova, ranked number five in the world, defeated Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to advance as she tries to build on the momentum of a runner-up finish at Wimbledon.
She led a string of seeds into the quarter-finals as third-seeded Marion Bartoli, fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska and eighth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova all advanced.
Sharapova fought her way through despite 11 double faults, finally advancing after 2 hours and 12 minutes.
“I feel great,” Sharapova told the enthusiastic crowd as she departed the court.
Sharapova fell in the Wimbledon final to Czech Petra Kvitova, but was encouraged that her first appearance in the All England Club final was proof that the injury-plagued years which threatened to derail her glittering career are behind her.
She next faces either Williams or Russian Maria Kirilenko, who play on Thursday.
Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, is unseeded after an injury layoff of nearly a year saw her ranking plummet.
France’s Bartoli advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Canadian Rebecca Marino.
Bartoli, who reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, is trying to reprise her 2009 title run in Stanford as the WTA’s stars gear up for the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year that starts in New York on August 29.
“I love this tournament. It’s a great way for me to start back,” Bartoli said. “I lost to Rebecca last year in Quebec, so it was good for me to take revenge. I really felt like I was moving well. I was hitting the ball well for having three weeks off.”
In the quarter-finals, Bartoli will face either Poland’s Urszula Radwanska or Japan’s Ayumi Morita. Morita opened her campaign with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over former world number one and seventh seed Ana Ivanovic on Tuesday.
Bartoli enjoyed a first-round bye, as did top seeds Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, Sharapova, and fourth-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur.
Azarenka and Stosur will play their second-round matches on Thursday.
Azarenka and Sharapova are vying to set up a rematch of last year’s final, won by the Belarussian.
On Thursday, Azarenka will play New Zealand qualifier Marina Erakovic, with the winner taking on Cibulkova, a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 winner over American Christina McHale.
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