Maria Sharapova overpowers Sam Stosur to reach last 16

ByReuters

Updated 29/05/2015 at 18:26 GMT

Defending champion Maria Sharapova reached the fourth round at Roland Garros with a 6-3 6-4 win over Sam Stosur of Australia.

Maria Sharapova au premier tour de Roland-Garros 2015

Image credit: AFP

Sharapova cut a thrilled figure at the end of the match amid the wind having fended off the dangerous Stosur, a player who downed Serena Williams to lift the US Open in 2011.

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It was the 18th meeting of the pair with Sharpova moving 14-3 clear in their head to head meetings. She managed the feat despite being blighted by coughing throughout the match.

The second seed had too much poise and pace for Stosur, runner-up in 2010 and twice a semi-finalist, whose heavy top-spin game can be a handful on clay.

Sharapova's clash against Stosur looked potentially dangerous for the Russian but she was dominant throughout against the 26th seeded Australian whose challenge fizzled out.

"Just getting the job done," said 28-year-old Sharapova, still suffering from a cold.

"I was just really happy to win this one."

Sharapova, who played in the last three French Open finals, winning two, broke four times to seal a convincing win when Stosur fired a forehand wide.

The five-times grand slam champion will take on Czech 13th seed Lucie Safarova for a quarter-final spot.

Results from the French Open Women's Singles Round 3 matches on Friday

Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) beat 11-Angelique Kerber (Germany) 4-6 6-2 6-2

13-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat 20-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 6-3 7-6(2)

9-Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) beat Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-2 6-4

29-Alize Cornet (France) beat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Croatia) 4-6 6-3 7-5

19-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) beat Annika Beck (Germany) 6-3 2-6 6-4

7-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat Donna Vekic (Croatia) 6-0 6-3

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