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Davenport, Sharapova win third-rounders at Pac Life
Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport held off fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy on Monday to reach the fourth round at the lucrative Pacific Life Open. Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova joined Davenport in the round of 16 by beating fellow Russian Dinara Safina in straight sets.
The Australian Open runner-up Davenport has won her last six matches, including a title in Dubai two weeks ago, and improved to a stellar 16-2 this season. Davenport is a two-time Indian Wells titlist and has been the runner-up here the past two years, including a loss against Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne in last year's hardcourt finale. The 28-year-old California native captured this tournament in 1997 and 2000. Up next for the red-hot Davenport will be 16-year-old Ukrainian Viktoriya Kutuzova, who easily cut down 17th-seeded American Amy Frazier 6-3, 6-3 on Day 6 here. The third-seeded Sharapova won her 10th straight match by pasting the 25th- seeded Safina 6-2, 6-3 in 1 hour, 18 minutes, with the help of four service breaks. The hard-hitting 17-year-old is now 15-1 for the year. Sharapova hasn't lost since falling to Serena Williams in the Australian Open semifinals back in January. She headed to Indian Wells seeking her third title in three events, having claimed championships in Tokyo and Doha since her Melbourne setback at the hands of Williams, who Sharapova defeated in last year's Wimbledon and WTA Championships finals.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Mary Pierce, seeded 20th, advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 decision against 15-year-old Czech Nicole Vaidisova. The winner of this $2.1 million event will collect $332,000.
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