CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AFP) — Maria Sharapova, enjoying a sparkling season so far, will test herself against an old foe in Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Family Circle Cup.
Sharapova, ranked No.4 in the world and seeded second, defeated unseeded Tatiana Perebiynis 7-5, 6-2.
Williams, the fifth seed, defeated Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Sharapova has stormed through the early stages of 2008, going 23-1 with three titles, including the Australian Open.
However, the Russian has struggled against Williams, losing each of the last three meetings and four of six overall.
Williams claimed both matchups last year, including a showdown in the championship match in Melbourne.
Yet, Sharapova has shown that she has grown as a player, picking up her first clay title at Amelia Island on Sunday.
She also started strong at this green clay event on Wednesday, crushing American Bethanie Mattek 6-0, 6-0.
Sharapova also could benefit from the fact that Williams may be hurting for the quarter-finals. The American tumbled to the clay court after turning her right ankle in the second set against Srebotnik.
"I just hope it's nothing that bothers me tomorrow," Williams said. "When the adrenaline is going sometimes you don't realize how bad something hurts until the next day."
On the other side of the draw, top seed and defending champion Jelena Jankovic needed just 52 minutes to defeat Russian Anastasia Rodionova 6-0, 6-2.
Seeking her first title of the season, Jankovic will face ninth seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the quarter-finals. Zvonareva advanced with 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli.
Fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 and will meet seventh seed Patty Schnyder a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
Hungary's Agnes Szavay and Alize Cornet of France complete the quarter-final lineup.
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