Sharapova ousts Davenport

Sharapova: 26 winners

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Maria Sharapova looked in ominous form as she blasted former champion Lindsay Davenport out of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The Russian fifth seed never let her opponent settle in the second round match, giving up no break points on the way to a 6-1 6-3 success.

Davenport, who came into the championship on the back of three tournament victories since her return from giving birth early in 2007, was made to look pedestrian by a player 11 years her junior.

The 2000 champion never got into an error-strewn first set but found her range in the second, firing winners in typical style from the baseline to hold Sharapova at 3-3.

However, the Russian got the crucial break in the seventh game and with Davenport unable to put enough pressure on the Sharapova serve, was able to break for a second time to close out the match.

Didn't happen

Davenport later admitted that Sharapova was 'head and shoulders' above the standard that she is now capable of.

"I'm not sure I'm aiming to get back to the very top of women's tennis," she said. "She was head and shoulders better than I was.

"I know I can play better than I did here this week, but I wanted to play well here and it didn't happen.

"I felt like I never really hit the ball that well, and I'm in trouble when I'm not hitting the ball well."

Meanwhile, third seed Jelena Jankovic overcame a shoulder problem to book her place in the third round with a 6-2 7-5 victory over Edina Gallovits.

The Serbian, who took more than three hours to beat Tamira Pazek in the first round, looked set for an easier ride against the Romanian after cruising through the opening set.

However, she suddenly looked out of sorts in the second and required courtside treatment before the sixth game.

The break seemed to refocus her concentration and although she was broken when serving for the match at 5-4, Jankovic immediately broke back and this time served out for the win.