Sharapova, Radwanska roll into Aussie 4th round
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Second-seeded Maria Sharapova and fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska cruised in their third round matches at the Australian Open on Friday.
Sharapova, the 2008 champion, rolled over Venus Williams, 6-1, 6-3. Sharapova hadn't lost a game in her first two matches, while Williams had dropped only seven games over her the first two rounds.
Despite only winning 5-of-13 break points, Sharapova was aided by 26 unforced errors by Williams.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sharapova advances to face Kirsten Flipkens, who needed three sets to oust Valeria Savinykh. Flipkens won 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 and moved into the fourth round for the first time in her career at the Australian Open.
Radwanska bested Great Britain's Heather Watson, 6-3, 6-1, en route to her 12th straight victory after titles in Auckland and Sydney. The 23-year-old from Poland will next face Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round.
The 13th-seeded Ivanovic, a runner-up here in 2008, ousted another former World No. 1 and fellow Serb Jelena Jankovic in a 7-5, 6-3 decision.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber, who turned 25 on Friday, was also a straight- set winner, defeating American Madison Keys, 6-2, 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena. The German, like Radwanska, has yet to lose a set in this year's first major.
Li Na earned a 6-4, 6-1 victory over 27th-seeded Sorana Cirstea to move on. The sixth seed from China lost in the 2011 Australian Open final to Kim Clijsters.
A pair of three-setters highlighted the early action Friday, as 11th-seeded Marion Bartoli was dismissed by 19th-seeded Ekaterina Makarova, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4, in a match that lasted nearly three hours, while No. 18 Julia Goerges overcame 56 unforced errors to outlast Zheng Jie, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.