WTA: Jankovic, Sharapova move into Birmingham semis

Birmingham, England (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova and French Open semifinalist Jelena Jankovic were among Saturday's quarterfinal winners at the $200,000 DFS Classic.
After rain postponed a pair of third-round matches as well as the quarterfinals on Friday, the wet stuff delayed the start of play here on Saturday.
When action finally got underway, Sharapova defeated Tamira Paszek 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, while third-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova downed 15th-seeded Eleni Daniilidou 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 to wrap up the third round.
In quarterfinal action, Jankovic whipped sixth-seeded Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-4, 6-3, while eighth-seeded Italian Mara Santangelo ousted fourth-seed Na Li 6-2, 7-5.
After a short rest following her third-round victory, Sharapova, who was the back-to-back Birmingham titlist in 2004 and 2005, downed Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 6-3.
More rain then moved into the area and delayed the start of the Hantuchova/Marion Bartoli match, which was eventually suspended due to darkness.
Birmingham serves as a tune-up for Wimbledon, which will commence June 25 at the All England Club.