INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova won their second-round matches Saturday at the $4.5 million BNP Paribas Open.
The Dane defeated American Sloane Stephens in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, on the hardcourts at the beautiful Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Wozniacki will play Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who ousted Romanian Simona Halep, 7-5, 6-0, in the third round.
Meanwhile, the 16th-seeded Sharapova had a tough match against Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues, coming from behind in the first set to win 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1. The Russian was the Indian Wells champion in 2006.
Fourth-seeded Samantha Stosur pasted Spanish qualifier Laura Pous-Tio, 6-2, 6-2, and will next play surprise winner Dinara Safina.
Safina, a former world No. 1 who is now No. 108 in the rankings, topped 26th seed Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 on Saturday.
China's Li Na, seeded seventh, fell to compatriot Peng Shuai, a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 winner.
American Christina McHale was a big winner in the day's final match, taking out 11th-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (9-7).
Other Day-3 winners were eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka, Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, the ninth seed, and Italian No. 13 seed Flavia Pennetta. Eighteenth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova, 20th-seeded Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai, and Russians Alisa Kleybanova (22nd seed) and Maria Kirilenko (24th) were also second-round winners Saturday.
Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka downed No. 27 seed Alexandra Dulgheru, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. In another minor upset, Poland's Urszula Radwanska eliminated 31st- seeded Klara Zakopalova, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
The 2011 women's Indian Wells winner will collect $700,000.
