Maria Sharapova advances into Bank of West quarterfinals

Maria Sharapova took what she learned from a clumsy early win and turned it into a sharp, emphatic victory over fellow Russian Nadia Petrova on Wednesday in a second-round match at the $700,000 WTA Premier Bank of the West Classic.

Sharapova needed just over an hour to beat 10th-ranked and fifth-seeded Petrova 6-1, 6-2, after a three-set win over Japan's Ai Sugiyama on Monday. "I knew what I had to improve upon," Sharapova said. "I started that first match lousy. This time the goal was to get a better start." Sharapova, who played her 17th match since returning to the court from a nine-month layoff due to right shoulder surgery, also had a pretty finish.

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