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Defending champion Maria Sharapova joined third seed Victoria Azarenka in the French Open quarter-finals yesterday as both posted routine fourth-round wins.
Sharapova saw off American 17th seed Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-3 to set up a meeting with Serbian 18th seed Jelena Jankovic, who thrashed US hope Jamie Hampton 6-0, 6-2.
Azarenka thumped 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-0 and will next play Russian 12th Maria Kirilenko. who saw off unseeded Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States 7-5, 6-4.
In men's action: Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland overcame a two-set deficit to beat local favorite Richard Gasquet 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 8-6 and reach the French Open quarterfinals for the first time.
Rafael Nadal, bidding to become the first man to win the same Grand Slam title eight times, trounced Japanese 13th seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 to set up a last-8 clash with Wawrinka.
Top seed Novak Djokovic carved out a 4-set win over 16th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach his 16th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final.
He'll next play German 35-year-old Tommy Haas, who beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets.
