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Maria SharapovaSharp Maria Sharapova Into Fourth RoundTop-seeded Maria Sharapova needed just more than hour of play Saturday to claim a third-round victory at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Sharapova, fourth-seeded Kim Clijsters and sixth-seeded Martina Hingis all posted straight-set victories and moved into the fourth round of the year's first Grand Slam event. Rain forced the postponement of several other third-round matches, however. Sharapova ousted 30th-seeded Tathiana Garbin 6-3, 6-1 in running her Grand Slam match winning streak to 10. Her fourth-round match will be against 22nd-seeded Vera Zvonareva, who rolled to a 6-1, 6-2 upset of No. 13 Ana Ivanovic in her Saturday match. Clijsters defeated Alona Bondarenko 6-3, 6-3 and earned a fourth-round slot against either 15th-seeded Daniela Hantuchova or Ashley Harkleroad, whose Saturday match was rained out. Hingis, seeking her seventh Australian Open final, was an easy 6-2, 6-1 winner over Aiko Nakamura. She'll have to wait until ninth-seeded Dinara Safina plays Na Li to learn who she'll meet in the fourth round. Also Saturday, eighth-seeded Patty Schnyder earned a 6-3, 2-6, 6-0 win over Alicia Molik. Next up for Schnyder will be either 12th-seeded Anna Chakvetadze or Jelena Kostanic Tosic. Maria Sharapova reaches the fourth roundTop seed Maria Sharapova overcame a spirited challenge from Italy’s Tathiana Garbin to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open, the BBC Sports informs. The world number one was broken twice in the first set but won 12 of the last 14 games as she posted a 6-3 6-1 win. “I was letting her play her game a little too much but as the match went on I moved a lot better,” she said. Sharapova faces fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva. Three-times former champion Martina Hingis also came through in straight sets on Saturday. A 6-2 6-1 demolition of Japan’s Aiko Nakamura means the sixth seed has dropped just nine games in three matches so far. Hingis now meets ninth seed Dinara Safina or China’s Li Na, the last Asian left in either singles draws. Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters win at Australian OpenRussian tennis star Maria Sharapova made an impressive performance by defeating Anastassia Rodionova 6-0 6-3 in the Australian Open second round. Maria Sharapova had been having problems due to the heat during her first match, taking three hours to defeat Camille Pin 9-7 in the third set, however, she put that struggle behind her as she swept past her compatriot Anastassia Rodionova, in just 58 minutes and setting up a meeting with 30th seed Tathiana Garbin. "My brain cells were restored," said Maria Sharapova. "It was nice to get a quick one in there today. "I still think that I can play a lot better, I'm nowhere near my top level," Maria Sharapova added. Elsewhere, fourth seed Kim Clijsters also gave an impressive display and booked her place in the third round of the Australian Open, with a convincing 6-3, 6-0 win against Akiko Morigami. MARIA SHARAPOVA enjoyed a "quick one" yesterday as she rattled into the third round of the Australian Open.The top seed needed an on-court doctor to help her through a marathon match against Frenchwoman Camille Pin in searing heat in her first match. But playing in an evening game in Melbourne, the US Open champion needed only 58 minutes to put away fellow Russian Anastassia Rodionova 6-0 6-3. Advertisement "My brain cells were restored," said Sharapova. "It was nice to get a quick one in there today. I'm definitely recovered. I feel good physically. I played better today but still nowhere near my top level. I can get better as I play more matches here." Sharapova, who has reached the semi-finals in the last two years, will play No.30 seed Tathiana Garbin from Italy in the next round. Kim Clijsters, who will retire at the end of the year, showed she is a serious contender in her final Australian Open with a 6-3 6-0 win over Akiko Morigami of Japan. And sixth seed Martina Hingis beat Russian Alla Kudryavtseva 6-2 6-2. Maria Sharapova | Maria Sharapova 1 | Maria Sharapova 2 | Maria Sharapova 3 | Maria Sharapova 4 | Maria Sharapova 5 | Maria Sharapova 6 | Maria Sharapova 8
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