Jankovic, Kuznetsova and Sharapova Advance at Roland Garros

A heavily taped Jelena Jankovic stayed on course for a first grand slam title when she completed a 7-5 6-3 victory over Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova in the third round of the French Open on Saturday. She had won the opening set on Friday evening and led 4-2 in the second when play was called due to bad light.

When the players returned to Court One at Roland Garros in brighter conditions, it took Jankovic around 10 minutes to complete her expected win.

Jankovic has ben playing with her right forearm bandaged and wrapped after complaining of pain in the previous round.
She also went to the tissue as well as the towel during changeovers and between points on the way to victory over the 31st- ranked Slovak Cibulkova.

"It's quite hard when you stop and have to come back the next day; you have to start from the beginning. It was important for me to finish in two sets."


She next plays Pole Agnieszka Radwanska, ranked 14th, in the fourth round.

Svetlana Kuznetsova faced only one break point and beat fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-1 in the third round of the French Open on Saturday.

The fourth seed only dropped three games en route to the last 16.
"I definitely think I have a chance (to win the title). Why not? There are a few players who have a shot to win it and I hope one of them is me."

Kuznetsova will next play No. 16 Victoria Azarenka, who beat No. 18 Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-1.

Top seed Maria Sharapova progressed to the last 16 of the French Open but again flattered to deceive on the claycourts of Roland Garros.

Sharapova, so unconvincing in her first two matches this week, looked like she was in for another slog when it took her 81 minutes to clinch the first set on a tiebreak against 32nd seed Karin Knapp.
"I kind of forgot what it felt like to finish it in two," said Sharapova, a semi-finalist last year.

Sharapova will next play compatriot Dinara Safina, who defeated China's Zheng Jie 6-2, 7-5

(source The Earth Times, Yahoo Sports, photo/AP Photo+AFP/Getty Images)