Thu Jul 31 02:13:57 2008

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Ivanovic, Jankovic advance at Rogers Cup; Sharapova withdraws

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Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic and fellow Serbian Jelena Jankovic were second-round winners Wednesday at the $1.34 million Rogers Cup tennis event.

The world No. 1 Ivanovic, who is the French Open champion and Australian Open runner-up, labored to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over Czech Petra Kvitova.

Second-seeded Jankovic defeated Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak in straight sets 6-0, 6-4. Retired Belgian Justine Henin defeated Jankovic in last year's Rogers Cup finale, in Toronto. This tournament shifts between Montreal and Toronto each year.

In a match that lasted nearly three hours, third-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova held off Marta Domachowska of Poland 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. Shortly after the victory, Sharapova withdrew from the tournament due to a right shoulder injury.

Sixth-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze got past American Jill Craybas 6-2, 7-5, while hot seventh-seeded Russian Dinara Safina won her sixth straight match with a 6-2, 6-4 decision against compatriot Anastasia Rodionova. The French Open runner-up Safina is fresh off her title in Los Angeles last week.

Up next for Safina will be ninth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder, who moved into the third round by besting Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-1, 7-5 on the hardcourts at Uniprix Stadium.

In other action involving seeds, No. 11 Belarusian Victoria Azarenka drubbed Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-2, 6-2, No. 12 Russian Nadia Petrova whipped Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3, 6-2, Canadian Stephanie Dubois outlasted No. 13 Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4) and 15-year-old Portuguese qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito upset 15th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 0-6, 6-3. Pennetta was last week's L.A. runner-up to Safina. Larcher de Brito is rewarded with a third-rounder against fourth-seeded U.S. Open runner- up Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

Tenth-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli advanced via walkover on Day 3, as Russian Alisa Kleybanova was unable to play due to a lower back injury. The 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Bartoli will meet Chakvetadze here on Thursday.

In second-round matches involving non-seeds, veteran Japanese Ai Sugiyama leveled Israeli Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2 and Austrian Tamira Paszek topped Hungarian Melinda Czink 6-4, 7-5.

The 2008 Rogers Cup titlist will collect $196,900.