WTA

• Sharapova, Kuznetsova, Hingis post wins in Madrid

  
  

  Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - U.S.champion Maria Sharapova, French runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova and five-time Grand Slam titlist Martina Hingis were Wednesday's round-robin winners at the $3 million season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships.

  In a battle of former world No. 1s and former Championships titlists, the second-seeded Sharapova (2-0), of Russia, charged past sixth-seeded Belgian Kim Clijsters 6-4, 6-4. Clijsters (0-1) captured this event back-to-back in 2002 and 2003, while Sharapova was the big winner in 2004.

  Sharapova broke Clijsters' serve three times and struck 11 more winners (24-13) than her Belgian counterpart. The big Russian capped her high-quality Day-2 outing with a big ace down the middle of the court.

  Clijsters still leads the all-time series against Sharapova, 4-2, but the Russian has won their last two matchups, both this year. The two women represent the last two U.S.champs.

  The 19-year-old Sharapova will enjoy a day of rest here on Thursday, while Clijsters will battle Kuznetsova. The two-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova has now won her last 18 matches, including titles in New York, Zurich and Linz.

  The 2005 U.S.champ Clijsters titled in her native Belgium last week.

  The fourth-seeded Kuznetsova (1-0) bested her seventh-seeded fellow Russian Elena Dementieva (0-2) in 7-5, 6-3 fashion at Madrid Arena. It marked a rematch of the 2004 U.S.final, which was also won by Kuznetsova, this year's Roland Garros runner-up to Justine Henin-Hardenne.

  Kuznetsova, who won in 1 hour, 50 minutes on Day 2 here, is now 4-3 lifetime against Dementieva, including 2-0 this year. Dementieva also lost here on Tuesday, against another fellow Russian, Sharapova.

  The eighth-seeded Hingis (1-1) posted an upset by dousing fifth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Petrova (1-1)d her week here on Tuesday by stunning world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo in straight sets.

  The former top-ranked Hingis prevailed in 1 hour, 54 minutes, as she broke Petrova's serve five times and watched her Russian counterpart pile up seven double faults.

  Hingis is now 2-1 lifetime against the hard-hitting Petrova.

  On Thursday, a top-seeded Mauresmo will meet Hingis and Petrova will battle the third-seeded Henin-Hardenne.

  Side Star Park Hotel

  This exclusive event features the top-eight women in the world. The players are divided into two four-women groups. The "Yellow Group" consists of Mauresmo (0-1), Henin-Hardenne (1-0), Petrova and Hingis, while an almost all-Russian "Red Group" boasts Sharapova, Kuznetsova, Clijsters and Dementieva. The field features four former Championships titlists (Clijsters, Hingis, Mauresmo and Sharapova) and five current or former No. 1s.

  There's a three-way battle going on this week for the year-end No. 1 spot between Mauresmo, Sharapova and Henin-Hardenne.

  The top two players from each group will perform in Saturday's semifinals and the final will be held here on Sunday. The powerful Russians account for half of this week's field.

  11/08 18:14:15 ET