Maria sweeps into quarter-finals

Defending champion Maria Sharapova swept into the quarter-finals of the Birmingham Classic with a 6-2 6-4 win over China's Li Na on Thursday.

The 2004 Wimbledon winner, seeking a third title at the warm-up event for the grasscourt grand slam, romped to a 3-0 lead before Li finally earned a game by breaking the Russian.

Li was unable to sustain any kind of pressure on Sharapova's serve and succumbed.

Sharapova will next face Italian Mara Santangelo, who knocked out Japanese fifth seed Ai Sugiyama 7-6 6-4.

Unseeded American Jamea Jackson stunned eighth seed and last year's beaten finalist Jelena Jankovic 6-4 0-6 7-5.

She will next take on either fourth seed Elena Likhovtseva of Russia or fellow American Lisa Raymond.