PARIS, June 1 (AP) : Former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova made a mockery of the seedings by outclassing third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the French Open on Friday.
Radwanska was the highest seed to fall in the tournament so far as she had no answer to the all-court game of Kuznetsova, who won at Roland Garros in 2009, five years after she won the US Open, her only other Grand Slam title.
Since then, the Russian has had a torrid time with injuries and loss of form, while Radwanska has smoothly made the transfer out of the junior ranks and up the WTA rankings, winning three tournaments this year already.
But all that was cast aside as the Russian moved smoothly into a 5-0 lead under cool, overcast conditions on Philippe Chatrier centre court before Radwanska managed to open her account.
After pocketing the first set on serve in the following game, Kuznetsova jumped out into a 3-0 lead in the second before the Pole took two games in a row.
Radwanska had a point to level at 3-3 but failed to take that and Kuznetsova powered away to move into the last 16.
There was no such revival in fortunes for Ana Ivanovic, another former champion at Roland Garros who has found the going tough since her triumph in 2008.
The Serb, a former world number one, but seeded just 13th this year, looked comfortable in the first set against claycourt specialist Sara Errani, but her game started to unwind in the second as the little Italian retrieved everything that came her way to run out a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 winner.
Errani, who has won three claycourt titles this year already, will next take on Kuznetsova with the prize for the winner being a place in the quarter-finals.
Also through, but playing in the previous round, was second-seeded Maria Sharapova.
The Russian pulled off a routine 6-1, 6-1 win over Ayumi Morita of Japan in a match that was held over from Thursday because of the marathon clash between Paul-Henri Mathieu and John Isner.
Sharapova, who won on clay in Stuttgart and in Rome in the buildup to Paris, will have a one-day turnaround before taking on China�s Peng Shuai for a place in the last 16.
Teenager Sloane Stephens kept the Stars and Stripes flying in the tournament with a third round 6-3, 6-2 win over Mathilde Johansson, the last Frenchwoman left in the draw.
The Florida youngster was one of just three Americans to make it into the third round along with Christina McHale and Uzbekistan-born Varvara Lepchenko, following the early exits of Serena and Venus Williams.
For 19-year-old Stephens it was the first time she has reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam tournament in four appearances, ensuring she will continue her rise up the world rankings.
Next up for Stephens, the only teenager to make it into the third round, will be the winner of the match opposing 2010 runner-up Samantha Stosur of Australia and Nadia Petrova of Russia.
Asked about the influence on her of the Williams sisters, Stephens replied: �Yeah, they definitely inspire.
�I mean - race has nothing to do with it - but they inspire everyone to play tennis.
�They�re two of the best tennis players to ever play the game.
�I think they�re a really great inspiration to everyone. I like them. I think they�re funny.�
