Sharapova, Ivanovic advance

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic and No. 4 Maria Sharapova were second-round winners Wednesday at the Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar.

Ivanovic was an easy winner 6-3 6-1 winner against Belarusian Olga Govortsova while Sharapova downed qualifier and fellow Russian Galina Voskoboeva 6-4 4-6 6-1.

Elsewhere, sixth-seeded Venus Williams trounced last week's Antwerp, Belgium runner-up Karin Knapp of Italy 6-2 6-2; No. 2 Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova ousted France's Nathalie Dechy 7-5, 7-5; No. 3 Serbian Jelena Jankovic downed Russian qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova 6-1, 3-6, 6-3; China's Na Li ousted No. 5 Russian Anna Chakvetadze 7-6 (9-7), 6-4; Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova knocked off ninth-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 and Thai qualifier Tamarine Tanasugarn topped No. 14 and former top-ranked French star Amelie Mauresmo 7-6 (9-7), 7-5.

Among other winners were No. 11 Russian Dinara Safina; No. 12 Israeli Shahar Peer; No. 15 Sybille Bammer and 16th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.