Sharapova cruises into Wimbledon 4th round

LONDON: Russia's Maria Sharapova cruised through her Wimbledon third round match with Amy Frazier, defeating the American 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday.            

The 2004 champion took 74 minutes to polish off the US number nine in front of a half-empty Centre Court, with many spectators having disappeared to follow the football World Cup quarter-final between England and Portugal.       

Fourth seed Sharapova now faces Italy's Flavia Penetta, the 16th seed, in the round of 16.           

Sharapova had won all three of her previous matches against Frazier, including in the fourth round of her run to winning the championship here two years ago.           

Frazier, the world number 80, gave the 19-year-old Russian only a few scares along the way as Sharapova showed some of the power and precision combination that helped her to lift the title.          

The Siberian broke in the second game with a shot down the line after three deuces. Sharapova took Frazier to five deuces in the sixth game but the American held her serve to make it 4-2.             

The former champion wrapped up the set in 42 minutes, winning it with a passing shot after being taken to three deuces on her serve.           

Frazier, 33, was broken again in the third game of the second set as Sharapova eased her way toward victory. She won the match on her serve as Frazier shot wide.