WTA: Sharapova, Serena move on at French Open

Paris, France (Sports Network) - Former world No. 1s Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams were among Thursday's second-round winners at the 2007 French Open.

The second-seeded Sharapova, the reigning U.S. Open champion and Aussie Open runner-up, had little trouble with veteran Jill Craybas, as the Russian easily downed the American 6-2, 6-1. The two-time major titlist Sharapova is seeking her third straight trip to a Grand Slam final.

The eighth-seeded Williams got past Venezuelan Milagros Sequera 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) for her ninth straight Grand Slam match victory. The eight-time major titlist Williams captured the Australian Open in January by beating Sharapova in the finale.

Williams was the French Open champ back in 2002, when she beat her older sister Venus in the final.

Seventh-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic also reached the third round, by defeating Indian Sania Mirza 6-1, 6-4.

Other seeded winners so far on Thursday were No. 14 Swiss Patty Schnyder, No. 15 Israeli Shahar Peer and No. 17 Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik. Schnyder downed Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 6-2, Peer bested Romanian Edina Gallovits 6-4, 6-1 and Srebotnik defeated Russian Vera Dushevina 6-4, 6-2.