Sharapova Looking Good in New York
Tennis: Maria Sharapova eased into the third round with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Madagascan Dally Randriantefy.
Top seed Maria Sharapova breezed through to the third round of the US Open with a comprehensive straight-sets victory over Dally Randriantefy.
The Russian was far too powerful for her Madagascan opponent and cruised to a quickfire 6-1, 6-0 victory, despite having to play in windy conditions.
Sharapova, who did not appear to be hampered by the chest muscle strain that forced her out of an event in Los Angeles earlier this month, has lost just three games in her two matches at Flushing Meadows this week.
She will now meet Lisa Raymond or Julia Schruff in the next round.
While Sharapova was an easy winner, fourth seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium passed a tough test against Colombia's Fabiola Zuluaga
before prevailing 7-5, 6-0 after winning the final nine games.
Clijsters needed just 67 minutes for the victory but could have done it in less time had she not fallen behind in the first set after opening a 4-0 advantage.
Clijsters, who has lost just one match since Wimbledon, notched her 51st singles win of the season with her fourth victory in as many
meetings with Zuluaga.
The former world number one missed this tournament last year due to left wrist surgery, but has returned to form in 2005, winning a WTA Tour best six titles.
Other women advancing to the third round today were 26th-seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova, Marion Bartoli of France and Croatian Ivana Lisjak.
The Russian was far too powerful for her Madagascan opponent and cruised to a quickfire 6-1, 6-0 victory, despite having to play in windy conditions.
Sharapova, who did not appear to be hampered by the chest muscle strain that forced her out of an event in Los Angeles earlier this month, has lost just three games in her two matches at Flushing Meadows this week.
She will now meet Lisa Raymond or Julia Schruff in the next round.
While Sharapova was an easy winner, fourth seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium passed a tough test against Colombia's Fabiola Zuluaga
before prevailing 7-5, 6-0 after winning the final nine games.
Clijsters needed just 67 minutes for the victory but could have done it in less time had she not fallen behind in the first set after opening a 4-0 advantage.
Clijsters, who has lost just one match since Wimbledon, notched her 51st singles win of the season with her fourth victory in as many
meetings with Zuluaga.
The former world number one missed this tournament last year due to left wrist surgery, but has returned to form in 2005, winning a WTA Tour best six titles.
Other women advancing to the third round today were 26th-seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova, Marion Bartoli of France and Croatian Ivana Lisjak.
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