By Bill Scott Aug 4, 2006, 7:54 GMT
Carlsbad, California - Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova fought through into the quarter-finals of the Acura Classic Thursday heading closer to a possible title showdown at the weekend.
Clijsters won her 11th straight match in America's Golden State as she recovered for a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 third-round win over Serb Jelena Jankovic.
The top seed from Belgium has claimed 10 career trophies on the West Coast, with only this week's event missing from her collection.
Sharapova turned back on-form Russian compatriot Vera Zvonareva, earning a 6-4, 6-4 result as her hardcourt game continues to take shape in the run-up to the US Open.
'I knew she was playing well,' said Sharapova. 'But I was patient from the start and played really solid and made her hit a lot of balls.
'I didn't do too much wrong and was happy to close it out with some good serves.'
A tiring Clijsters needed to fight through for one hour, 50 minutes over Jankovic before finally securing victory against her 27th-ranked opponent.
'My legs felt dead. I just tried to hang in there. It was hard to push, but I just kept trying,' said Clijsters. 'She tends to play better against higher-ranked opponents. I knew it would be a tough match.'
The top seed converted on five of 14 break-point chances while losing serve four times in the battle, which began several hours late after a morning drizzle.
Clijsters improved her 2006 record to 34-8, with titles earned on clay in Warsaw and last weekend in Stanford in northern California, where she last beat Jankovic. She now stands 5-0 in their series.
Clijsters was headed for a light jog and a stretch in hopes of regaining some energy. She faces a Friday quarter-final against the winner from Italian Flavia Pennetta and Martina Hingis.
The Belgian said that her letdown came in the second set against Jankovic.
'I was just trying to find my way back,' she said. 'You can get too concentrated on moving, and it can have the opposite effect. I started over in the third set and found a way to get through the match.'
Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva put out India's Sania Mirza 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, while number 7 Czech Czech Nicole Vaidisova produced a massive 16 aces as she crushed Slovak 11th seed Daniela Hantuchova 6- 4, 6-2.
Defending champion Mary Pierce advanced into a battle with Sharapova with a 6-2, 6-1 thrashing of Finn Emma Laine.
Pierce was untroubled by the 63rd-ranked Laine, who won a three and a half hour match the previous day.
Russian teenager Anna Chakvetadze defeated Serbian 14th seed Ana Ivanovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
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