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LOS ANGELES, Aug 11 (AFP): Top-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova swept into the quarter-finals of the 600,000-dollar WTA US Open tuneup here Thursday with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Marion Bartoli of France.
Sharapova booked a re-match with compatriot Dinara Safina, the fifth seed, who shocked Sharapova in the fourth round of the French Open in June.
Safina advanced with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) victory over American Laura Granville.
This time, Sharapova has momentum on her side. The 19-year- old took a month off after falling in the Wimbledon semi-finals, and returned last week to lift the title in San Diego.
Third-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva avenged a French Open defeat, downing Israel's Shahar Peer 7-5, 6-3.
Dementieva, ranked sixth in the world, surrendered a 4-0 lead in the opening set, finally breaking to lead 6-5 and serving out the set.
Serving for the match at 5-2 in the second she was broken, but broke back to take the match on her second match point.
Dementieva next faces US wildcard Bethanie Mattek, a 6-1, 6- 1 winner of Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko.
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