Russia's Maria Sharapova serves the ball to Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in Stanford, California, Wednesday. — Reuters STANFORD — Second-seeded Maria Sharapova reached the quarterfinals of the $721,000 WTA hardcourt tournament here Wednesday, setting up a possible showdown with Serena Williams. Sharapova, ranked No. 5 in the world, defeated Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to advance as she tries to build on the momentum of a runner-up finish at Wimbledon. France's Bartoli advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Canadian Rebecca Marino. In the quarterfinals, Bartoli will face either Poland's Urszula Radwanska or Japan's Ayumi Morita. Morita opened her campaign with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over seventh seed Ana Ivanovic Tuesday. Razzano advances In Maryland, Virginie Razzano, still coping with the death of her coach-fiance, ousted British sixth seed Elena Baltacha 6-4, 6-2 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of a $220,000 WTA tournament. Falconi, ranked 102nd, advanced when China's Zhang Shuai retired due to heat illness after the American won the first set 6-4. Russian Nadia Petrova beat Canadian Eugenie Bouchard 6-2, 6-2 without facing a break point in 52 minutes. Cilic advances In Croatia, fourth-seeded Marin Cilic beat Dutchman Robin Haase 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of his home country's Croatia Open tournament. Cilic will face Italian Andreas Seppi, who defeated Diego Junqueira from Argentina 7-5, 6-1. Another Italian, Fabio Fognini, advanced beating Olivier Rochus from Belgium 6-4, 6-1. Wawrinka in last 8 In Switzerland, second-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka advanced to the quarterfinals of his home Swiss Open tournament Thursday, beating Peter Luczak of Australia 6-3, 7-5. The Swiss No. 2 plays Marcel Granollers in the quarterfinals, after the Spaniard completed a rain-affected match that started Wednesday. Granollers quickly won two games to beat Igor Andreev of Russia 6-1, 6-3. Fourth-seeded Fernando Verdasco advanced beating Frederico Gil of Portugal, 6-3, 6-2, and fifth-seeded Feliciano Lopez beat compatriot Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 6-4. Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria also beat Colombian Santiago Giraldo 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, while Julien Benneteau of France beat Germany's Matthias Bachinger 6-4, 6-4.
