Sharapova races into Australian Open quarters

Second seed Maria Sharapova raced into the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday as she beat unseeded Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in straight sets.

The world number two, a finalist at Melbourne Park last year, blitzed to a 6-1, 6-0 win and will next face fellow Russia's 19th seed Ekaterina Makarova, whom she beat in the last eight in 2012.

Sharapova has been in rampant form here and has only dropped five games in four matches so far in her bid for a second Australian title, after lifting the trophy in 2008.

"I'm certainly happy that I'm playing this well but it's now the quarter-finals and it only gets tougher," she said.

She had met Flipkens twice before and won both times and they tested each other in the first game, which the Belgian finally won.

Sharapova, who needs to reach at least the final to have a chance of returning to world number one, held serve then helped by some loose Flipkens shots got the break for 2-1 with a blistering crosscourt forehand winner.

AFP