Ivanovic stuns Sharapova in Rome

ByEurosport

Updated 15/05/2014 at 23:39 GMT

Maria Sharapova was sent tumbling out of the women's event in Rome by Ana Ivanovic, who trounced the Russian 6-1 6-4 in the third round.

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia serves to Maria Sharapova of Russia during their women's singles match at the Rome Masters tennis tournament May 15, 2014. REUTERS/Max Rossi (ITALY - Tags: SPORT TENNIS)

Image credit: Eurosport

The Serbian 11th seed beat Sharapova, seeded eighth, for the first time in seven years with a blistering display of power to reach her sixth quarter final of 2014.

Ivanovic will face Carla Suarez Navarro in the semis after the Spaniard was granted a walkover against fourth-seeded Romanian Simona Halep, who pulled out with an abdominal strain.

The last time Ivanovic, 26, beat the Russian was in the semi-finals of the 2007 French Open. She went on to lose the final to Justine Henin.

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Maria Sharapova at the 2014 Italian Open in Rome (Reuters)

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China's second seed Li Na snapped a career-long jinx against Australian Samantha Stosur, winning 6-3 6-1 having lost their previous six meetings, and will meets Italy's Sara Errani in the last eight.

World number one Serena Williams brushed aside fellow American Varvara Lepchenko 6-1 6-2 to draw level with sister Venus for the most career wins among active players. Serena's 652nd win set up a quarter-final against China's Zhang Shuai.

Italian Open third round results

1-Serena Williams (US) beat Varvara Lepchenko (US) 6-1 6-2

6-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) beat 12-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 6-2 6-3

Zhang Shuai (China) beat Christina Mchale (US) 6-2 4-6 6-2

11-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat 8-Maria Sharapova (Russia) 6-1 6-4

3-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-4 6-1

10-Sara Errani (Italy) beat Petra Cetkovska (Czech Republic) 6-4 7-6(3)

2-Li Na (China) beat Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-3 6-1

13-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) beat 4-Simona Halep (Romania) walkover

Tennis