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Flipkens to face Sharapova

Paris - Eighth-seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium has comfortably beat Yvonne Meusburger of Austria 6-1, 6-3 at the Open GDF Suez on Thursday to set up a quarterfinal against top-seeded Maria Sharapova.

Last year's runner-up, Sara Errani, also reached the last eight in straight sets.

Flipkens converted all four of her break points against Meusburger, and the third-seeded Errani broke Karin Knapp's serve five times to win their all-Italian match 6-4, 6-3.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and Andrea Petkovic of Germany also advanced easily.

Svitolina beat Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-2 and next plays Errani, while Petkovic beat Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-2.

Petkovic next faces either Frenchwoman Alize Cornet or lucky loser Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who replaced second-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic after she pulled out because of a sore throat.

"I really wanted to play, but I had to see the doctor because I wasn't feeling well," Kvitova said. "When I was trying to warm up this morning, after 10 minutes I realized that I couldn't breathe, so unfortunately I have to pull out."

Results from the fourth day of the WTA Paris Open on Thursday (x denotes seeding):

Second round:
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL x8) bt Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) 6-1, 6-3
Elina Svitolina (UKR) bt Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 6-1, 6-2
Andrea Petkovic (GER) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-4, 6-2

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