Maria Sharapova into Stuttgart quarters

Women's world number two Maria Sharapova reached the quarter-finals of Stuttgart's WTA tournament on Wednesday.

Sharapova progressed to the last eight after French qualifier Alize Cornet was forced to retire after the first game of the second set with a shoulder injury having lost the first set 6-3.

In Friday's last eight tie, Australian Open finalist Sharapova will face either US Open winner Samantha Stosur or Stuttgart's defending champion Julia Goerges, who meet on Thursday.

Polish fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska is also in the quarter-finals following her 6-3, 6-4 second-round victory over Hungary's Greta Arn.