Maria Sharapova Takes Sharp Turn In Right Direction

Elena Dementieva and Russian compatriot Maria Sharapova won through to the quarterfinals of the WTA's Bank of the West Classic with identical 6-1, 6-2 scorelines on Wednesday. The third-seeded Dementieva breezed past Russian Maria Kirilenko, while Sharapova had a surprisingly comfortable win over fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova in another all-Russian match , FOXSports.com reports.

Photo: Maria Sharapova Takes Sharp Turn In Right Direction

However, Maria Sharapova's comeback took a sharp turn in the right direction Wednesday at the Bank of the West Classic.

Two days after an uninspiring first-round performance, the former world No. 1 put on an impressive show at Stanford's Taube Family Tennis Stadium, burying fellow Russian and fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-2, San Jose Mercury News reports.

Meanwhile, the unseeded three-time major champion Sharapova pasted fifth-seeded fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-2 on the hardcourts at Taube Family Tennis Stadium. Sharapova swatted six aces on her way to erasing Petrova in just over an hour.

In other second-round action, Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova defeated seventh- seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, and Aussie Samantha Stosur stopped Romanian Monica Niculescu in 6-1, 7-5 fashion , MiamiHerald.com reports.