Tennis: Sharapova wins, Ivanovic out

Top seed Maria Sharapova was bundled out of the Auckland Classic women's tennis tournament in the quarter-finals Thursday when she was beaten in straight sets by unheralded Greta Arn.The 31-year-old Hungarian, whose best world ranking was 81 in 2002 and is now ranked 88th, dominated the former world number one and three-time Grand Slam winner from the start to win 6-2, 7-5.

Grand Slam champion Ana Ivanovic will play in next January's Sydney International, according to organisers.The former world number one joins US Open champion Kim Clijsters and Australia's world number six Samantha Stosur in the women's draw for the January 9 to 15 tournament.The former French Open champion, 23, is ranked 17th on the WTA Tour after impressive late season performances, winning titles in Linz and the season-ending Tournament of Champions in Bali.

Reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters advanced to the WTA Cincinnati Open final after Serbia's Ana Ivanovic injured her left foot only 12 minutes into their match and retired in tears.Belgian fourth seed Clijsters led 2-1 after breaking Ivanovic in the third game, but the showdown of former world number ones would end after only 25 points being played and with the Serbian's US Open hopes in great jeopardy.Clijsters will play in her third final of the year against the winner of a later semi-final between Russians Maria Sharapova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Clearer of mind and fitter of body than for some time, Serbian glamour girl Ana Ivanovic is confident she can climb back into the top 10 in 2011.Ranked no.1 in the world in 2008, when she won her only Grand Slam singles title at the French Open, Ivanovic dropped out of the top 60 this year as she battled poor form before climbing her way back to 17 by season's end.The 23-year-old claimed titles in Austria and Bali in the last three tournaments she played for the season and enters the new year full of confidence that her career is finally back on track.

Defending champion Kim Clijsters advanced to a fourth-round matchup with fellow former world number one Ana Ivanovic at the US Open on Friday while third seed Venus Williams also rolled into the last 16.Belgian second seed Clijsters struggled briefly before winning the last 12 games to defeat Wimbledon semi-finalist Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-0 while Ivanovic won the last nine games to oust French wildcard Virginie Razzano 7-5, 6-0.

Defending champion Kim Clijsters advanced to a fourth-round matchup with fellow former world number one Ana Ivanovic at the US Open on Friday while third seed Venus Williams also rolled into the last 16.Belgian second seed Clijsters struggled briefly before winning the last 12 games to defeat Wimbledon semi-finalist Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-0 while Ivanovic won the last nine games to oust French wildcard Virginie Razzano 7-5, 6-0.

Maria Sharapova overpowered Sara Errani to win the French Open final at Roland Garros for the first time and complete a career grand slam.

Top seed Novak Djokovic and his main rival Andy Murray breezed into the second round of the China Open on Tuesday, restoring some order to a draw riddled with upsets, as Maria Sharapova was sent packing.Djokovic, the world number two and the defending champion in Beijing, showed little mercy to Chinese wild card entrant Gong Mao-Xin, wrapping up a 6-1, 6-3 win in just over an hour at the Olympic Green Tennis Centre.