Sharapova, Wozniacki advance advance as Jankovic ousted

2008 finalist Jelena Jankovic failed to reach the second week of the US Open Saturday as the fourth seed went down 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) to Estonian outsider Kaia Kanepi, dpa reported.

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki continued to steamroll, crushing her third straight opponent with the loss of just one game against Chan Yung-Jan of Taiwan. The bloodbath continued with Maria Sharapova's 6- 0, 6-0 merciless hammering of American teenager Beatrice Capra.

German Andrea Petkovic advanced without firing a shot when Peng Shuai of China withdrew before their meeting with a right elbow injury.

Since losing the title match to Serena Williams two years ago, former number one Jankovic has won just three matches in New York. Wimbledon quarter-finalist Kanepi will play in the Flushing Meadows fourth round for the first time next week.

Jankovic was blown off course by swirling wind inside the vast Ashe stadium, a by-product of the storm which passed off the coast on Friday.

"I had a really hard time hitting the balls," said the fourth- ranked Serb. "They were going all over the place, the wind was really strong. She handled these conditions a lot better than I did.

"In this stadium you really feel the wind a lot, when it's strong, it's very hard to play the game.

"Sometimes you need a little bit of luck. You have to try and make as many balls as you can. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that today."

Number 32 Kanepi won her first career title earlier this season in Palermo on clay the week after Wimbledon.

She has risen more than 100 ranking spots since May. Kanepi's next opponent will be either 2009 semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer or Swiss veteran Patty Schnyder.

In men's play, two-time Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling swept away Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 while Spain's Albert Montanes advanced into the fourth round when Japan's Kei Nishikori quit injured, trailing 6-2, 2-1.

"Today was not easy, it was difficult conditions," said the Swede. "I told myself before the match, It's not gonna be pretty. Under the circumstances, I played a pretty good match.

Soderling next plays Montanes, whom he beat in last year's first round. "We've played many times, I had a tough four-setter against him here. He's a good player."