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Sharapova leads a Russian charge

Ferrer overcomes Hewitt in a marathon

— PHOTO: AFP

RELIEVED: Spain’s David Ferrer celebrates his victory over Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt in the French Open on Saturday.

PARIS: Maria Sharapova led a Russian charge into the last 16 at the French Open on Saturday finally shaking off the poor form that has seen her struggle to live up to her top seeding.

The 21-year-old Russian World No.1 defeated Italy’s Karin Knapp 7-6(4), 6-0 with two contrasting sets.

In the first, Sharapova again struggled with her serve and consistency as Knapp came within two points of taking a one set lead.

But in the second, after breaking serve in a marthon second game, Sharapova visibly relaxed allowing her to deploy her impressive arsenal of groundstrokes.

She knows though that she will have to add more consistency to her game before going up against compatriot Dinara Safina with a quarterfinal place at stake. The pair has met five times with Sharapova winning three.

“I kind of forgot what it felt like to finish in two even though I still managed to play for two hours out there,” she said. It was quite scratchy the first two (games) and I spent a lot more time than I would have liked on the court. But that’s just the way things go.”

Safina made it through to the fourth round in Paris for the third straight year with a 6-2, 7-5 win over China’s Zheng Jie.

Kuznetsova moves up

Following the two of them into the last 16 was 2006 runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova who comfortably saw off another Russian, Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-1.

Also into the last 16 was the third seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia who defeated Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 7-5, 6-3 in a game held over from late Friday.

Two of the men’s third round ties went to five sets. Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer crushed the brave resistance of Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a marathon three- and-a-half hour tussle.

He will next take on Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, who saw off Spanish claycourt specialist Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. Fernando Gonzalez meanwhile battled back from two sets down to outlast Stanislas Wawrinka 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies

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