Sharapova shines in victory over Schiavone

Russian moves in to third round at Indian Wells with easy win.

INDIAN WELLS:

Maria Sharapova didn’t need too much time out in the chilly wind at Indian Wells on Friday, sweeping into the third round with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Francesca Schiavone.

The second-seeded Russian dropped her first service game as they traded breaks in the first three games, then settled in to seal the victory in just 61 minutes.

“Once I started being a little bit more aggressive I felt like I had an edge on her,” she said.

She was glad to get through her opener, even if the Italian’s drop in form has seen her slip to 47th in the world.

“No matter where she is in the rankings she has experience, has a Grand Slam behind her back,” added Sharapova, who is playing just her third tournament of 2013.

Sharapova will now play Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, a 6-1, 6-1 winner over Silvia Soler-Espinosa.

Third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska also booked her third-round berth, rolling past US wild card Maria Sanchez 6-2, 6-1. Other women’s seeds advancing on Friday included fifth-seeded former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who survived 10 double faults to beat Olga Govortsova 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Sixth-seeded Sara Errani advanced with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Spain’s Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

French ninth seed Marion Bartoli eased into the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over South African Chanelle Scheepers.

She’ll face two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who bounced back after being blanked in the first set to beat former World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic 0-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2013.