Wozniacki, Sharapova advance

Indian Wells, California: Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and former winner Maria Sharapova cruised into the third round of the Indian Wells WTA tournament with 6-2 6-0 victories on Saturday.

Denmark's Wozniacki launched her title defence by demolishing Russian Ekaterina Makarova and Sharapova, the 2006 champion, crushed Argentina's Gisela Dulko.

Former world number one Wozniacki took advantage of an error-strewn display by her left-handed opponent, cruising to victory in just over an hour.

Makarova never once held serve as her match ended when she netted a backhand. "I played pretty good out there," fourth seed Wozniacki told reporters. "It's always pretty tough playing in your first match, and I felt comfortable.

"I don't like to be out there for too long if I don't have to. I like to play tennis and I love grinding it out, but if I have the opportunity to finish it off fast, I like that opportunity, as well."

Wozniacki will next face Swede Sofia Arvidsson, a 6-3 6-3 winner against Romanian Monica Niculescu.

In form

Sharapova, one of six former champions in the field, broke Dulko three times in each set before ending the first match of the evening session with a crunching forehand down the line.

"I haven't played a tournament in a few weeks and I was pretty eager to get out there tonight," the 24-year-old Russian said.

"Gisela is always tricky, because we've played a few times before and she's beaten me at a major before. As a first round opponent, I just had to be really ready from the beginning against her."