Sharapova hobbles into quarter-finals

By Julien Pretot

PARIS (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova kept alive her French Open dream on Sunday when the Russian reached the quarter-finals with a 6-4 0-6 6-4 victory over China's Li Na.

The former world number one, who is on a comeback trail following a nine-month injury layoff, will meet Slovak 20th seed Dominika Cibulkova for a place in the last four.

Sharapova, who has dropped to 102nd in the WTA rankings and has needed three sets to advance from each round, dropped serve twice but broke three times to take the opening set before fading away in the second.

Three-times grand slam champion Sharapova took a medical time out to have her left thigh treated and broke decisively in the seventh game before wrapping up the win after two hours 13 minutes on her first match point.

"Whatever it takes. Two sets, three sets, two sets and five hours," Sharapova told a news conference.

She added her thigh problem was nothing to worry about.

"The thigh was just a little sore. It will be okay, we have a day off in the grand slams, so it will be fine," she said.

Sharapova will be glad to have survived since she produced eight double faults and 33 unforced errors during a scrappy contest.