Sharapova Sails Through

Defending champion Maria Sharapova ruthlessly dispatched Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva 6-0 6-1 to reach the third round of Wimbledon today.

Such was the extent of the Russian star's dominance she allowed her 15-year-old opponent only four points throughout a second set which lasted all of 19 minutes. Those points gave Karantantcheva her only game of the match and led to the sustained and sympathetic applause of the Court One crowd.

The underdog has made a name for herself with rash pronouncements about her talent and looked set to live up to her words in the first game of the match, when she fashioned two break points on the Sharapova serve. But she failed to take her chances in a marathon opener and that set the pattern for the remainder of the match. Sharapova's irresistible force made the difference time and time again while her opponent's impetuous approach sent her unforced error count through the stratosphere.

The champion was clearly in no mood to be tested, pumping the air on big points and efficiently wrapping up the first set in 27 minutes.

Any hopes Karatantcheva might have had of getting back into the match were obliterated in a lightning start to the second, when Sharapova reeled off point after point and left her opponent shrugging and smiling at her All England Club misfortune.

Elsehwere in Round 2 of the ladies tournament, American Jill Craybas beat Marion Bartoli of France 6-1, 6-4, while Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova needed three sets to see off the challenge of Israel's Shahar Peer 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.