Sharapova leads Russian charge

Maria Sharapova [Images] led an early Russian charge into the French Open fourth round on Saturday, sweeping aside Anna Chakvetadze [Images] at the claycourt grand slam.

The second seed needed just 74 minutes to win 6-1, 6-4 on the Suzanne Lenglen court before she could head for the shade with another scorching day in the French capital on the cards.

"I got off to a really good start, and I was in control from the first game," the 18-year-old said.

The Wimbledon champion was joined in the winners' enclosure by U.S. Open champion and fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova who beat America's Marissa Irvin 6-1, 2-6, 6-0.

Irvin's defeat means Lindsay Davenport [Images], the top seed, is the only American left in either singles draw.

Twelfth-seeded Elena Bovina and seventh seed Nadia Petrova completed the Russian charge. Bovina beat France's [Images] Tatiana Golovin [Images] 6-3 7-5 and Petrova overcame Israeli Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-1.

"It's going to be a lot tougher than it is right now," she said. "I know that as the matches go on, I have to raise my level another notch.

"The matches are going to be tougher, you're going to feel physically more tired. But, you know, the tougher it gets, the more prepared you have to be... that's what it's all about, and that's how the best are the best."

In the men's draw, Marat Safin [Images] and Juan Carlos Ferrero face each other in the third round later on Saturday.

Australian Open champion Safin, whose rivalry with Ferrero dates back to their time as juniors, accused the Spaniard of acting like a 14-year-old after losing to him in the second round in Hamburg earlier this month and Saturday's match is sure to contain fireworks.

While Safin is third seed, Ferrero is a former champion at Roland Garros and is favourite to advance.

Guillermo Coria, runner-up last year, is also in action. The Argentine, seeded eighth, faces Austrian Juergen Melzer while another of several Argentine contenders, ninth seed Guillermo Canas, could break French hearts when he faces local favourite Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Third seed Amelie Mauresmo plays Ana Ivanovic from Serbia and Montenegro in the women's field while Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, the 2003 champion, meets Spanish baseliner Anabel Medina Garrigues.

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