Wimbledon, England (Sports Network) - Russian superstar Maria Sharapova,
steady Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and outgoing Belgian Kim Clijsters were easy
third-round victors Friday at Wimbledon.
The world No. 1 Sharapova handled Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh 6-1, 6-4 in 81 minutes
on Court 1 at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
The career Grand Slam star is fresh off her French Open title three weeks ago;
captured her lone Wimbledon championship in 2004; and was last year's
Wimbledon runner-up to powerful Czech Petra Kvitova.
Sharapova will meet 15th-seeded big-serving German Sabine Lisicki in the
fourth round on Monday.
The unseeded former world No. 1 Clijsters was leading 12th-seeded Vera
Zvonareva 6-3, 4-3 when the Russian retired due to an upper respiratory
illness on Court 1. This marked a rematch of the 2010 U.S. Open final, which
was also won by the three-time U.S. Open champion Clijsters.
Zvonareva was the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up to American great Serena Williams.
The 29-year-old Clijsters is still seeking that elusive first-ever trip into a
Wimbledon final, and this is her last chance, as the wife and mother will
retire from tennis following this summer's U.S. Open.
The two-time Wimbledon semifinalist Clijsters' fourth-round opponent will be
eighth-seeded German lefthander Angelique Kerber.
A third-seeded Radwanska routed promising 20-year-old Brit Heather Watson 6-0,
6-2 under the roof on Centre Court, while the rocketing Kerber dismissed 28th-
seeded American Christina McHale 6-2, 6-3 on Court 2.
The aforementioned Lisicki topped rising American Sloane Stephens 7-6 (7-5),
1-6, 6-2. A disappointed Stephens blew a 5-2 lead in the first-set tiebreak on
Day 5 of this fortnight.
The capable oft-injured Lisicki was a Wimbledon semifinalist last year and
quarterfinalist in 2009. She missed the 2010 edition of tennis' most
prestigious event due to injury.
Also on Friday, 30th-seeded Chinese Peng Shuai blew away talented Dutchwoman
Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-2 to reach the round of 16.
The second round concluded when little-known 19-year-old Slovak Jana Cepelova
took out 26th-seeded Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-5),
6-3. Cepelova is rewarded with a third-round match Saturday against second-
seeded former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka -- the reigning Australian Open
champ.
Rain delayed the start of action in this London suburb on Friday.
The Sports Network