BNP Paribas Open: Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova make last eight
Last Updated: March 13, 2013 8:00am
Maria Sharapova: Will next face Sara Errani in a repeat of last year's French Open final
Maria Sharapova eased into the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open with a 7-5 6-0 victory over Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino.
The Russian eventually came out on top in a see-saw first set that saw five breaks of serve before storming through the second in just 22 minutes.
The second seed has now reached the last eight in Indian Wells for three successive years, including losing in the final in 2012.
"I stepped up my game in the second set," Sharapova said after 78 minutes on court. "The first set was so up and down I had to buckle down, stepping into the returns and getting in a few more first serves."
Next up for the world No 3 will be Sara Errani, the Italian registering a 6-3 6-2 triumph over Marion Bartoli of France to set up a re-match of last year's French Open final that Sharpova won.
Errani, the sixth seed in the tournament, converted seven of 12 break points to triumph in 88 minutes and improve her win-loss record in 2013 to 21-7.
Petra Kvitova also stormed into the quarter-finals, crushing fellow Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-2 6-3. The fifth seed will next meet Russian Maria Kirilenko, who upset third seed Agnieszka Radwanska.
