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Sharapova cruise into 3rd round
London: Maria Sharapova, the 2004 women's champion, overpowered Ashley Harkleroad 6-2, 6-2 in 67 minutes. The match was slightly tougher than her 51-minute 6-2, 6-0 win the previous day over Anna Smashnova.
"I didn't think I had enough of a challenge to see where my game was at in the first round," the third-seeded Russian said. 'The points were very quick. But today I played a few rallies and I definitely did a lot of good things."
Sharapova had too much power and consistency for the 76th-ranked American, who had reached the second round for only the first time in four attempts.
Sharapova, her shriek-like grunts carrying beyond the Court 2 stands, took control by winning 14 of 15 points at one stretch in the first set. She finished with 27 winners and 12 unforced errors. Harkleroad, mostly on the defensive, had four winners and seven errors.
Sharapova saved a break point _ the only one she faced _ and needed five match points before she closed out the contest when Harkleroad sent a backhand wide.
Defending champion and three-time winner Venus Williams was up later against Lisa Raymond, with top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo facing Samantha Stosur.
On the men's side, 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt and two-time runner-up Andy Roddick were also scheduled to play second-round matches.
Sharapova cruise into 3rd round
London: Maria Sharapova, the 2004 women's champion, overpowered Ashley Harkleroad 6-2, 6-2 in 67 minutes. The match was slightly tougher than her 51-minute 6-2, 6-0 win the previous day over Anna Smashnova.
"I didn't think I had enough of a challenge to see where my game was at in the first round," the third-seeded Russian said. 'The points were very quick. But today I played a few rallies and I definitely did a lot of good things."
Sharapova had too much power and consistency for the 76th-ranked American, who had reached the second round for only the first time in four attempts.
Sharapova, her shriek-like grunts carrying beyond the Court 2 stands, took control by winning 14 of 15 points at one stretch in the first set. She finished with 27 winners and 12 unforced errors. Harkleroad, mostly on the defensive, had four winners and seven errors.
Sharapova saved a break point _ the only one she faced _ and needed five match points before she closed out the contest when Harkleroad sent a backhand wide.
Defending champion and three-time winner Venus Williams was up later against Lisa Raymond, with top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo facing Samantha Stosur.
On the men's side, 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt and two-time runner-up Andy Roddick were also scheduled to play second-round matches.
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