In-form Sharapova demolishes Mattek

Top seed and holder Jelena Jankovic weathered a tight first set before crushing American qualifier Alexandra Stevenson 7-5, 6-0 in the Family Circle Cup second round on Wednesday.

Second-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova [Images] also cruised into the third round, brushing aside American Bethanie Mattek [Images] 6-0, 6-0 in an evening match.

Serbian world number five Jankovic, after initially struggling to cope with Stevenson's unconventional backhand, took control to wrap up victory in one hour 22 minutes.

"Her backhand was really good and I kept hitting to her backhand which was wrong," the 23-year-old told reporters.

"That's what happens when you don't know the player well but then I found my way. I saw how she was playing, her strengths and weaknesses and I was able to play the tactics a lot better."

Jankovic, runner-up to Serena Williams [Images] at this month's Sony Ericsson Open in Miami [Images], next meets Russian Anastasia Rodionova, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Aravane Rezai of France [Images].

"I played her (Rodionova) here last year and I thought that was a very easy match," said Jankovic, who is playing on clay for the first time this season.

"But every match is different. I'm just trying to get my timing and trying to see how to play on clay. It's a different game and you have to really know how to move well."

Sharapova, fresh from her first claycourt title at Amelia Island on Sunday, needed less than an hour to demolish Mattek.

The elegant Russian converted all six break points to set up a likely quarter-final with fifth-seeded American Serena Williams.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, the 11th seed, battled from a set down to beat Edina Gallovits of Romania 6-7, 6-2, 7-5 in a fluctuating encounter lasting two-and-a-half hours.

Fourth seed Elena Dementieva of Russia [Images] swept past American Jill Craybas 6-0, 6-2 and seventh-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 7-6, 6-0.

Ninth seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia hammered Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-1, 6-0 and 13th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won 7-6, 6-0 against China's Sun Tiantian.

© Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.