KEY POINTS:
LONDON - Maria Sharapova came suitably dressed at Wimbledon on Sunday (NZ time) and floated around Court One just long enough to reach the last 16 of the women's singles.
Her dress, inspired by Swan Lake according to the Russian, was beginning to get a little soggy when she wrapped up a 6-3 6-3 victory over Japan's Ai Sugiyama minutes before another Atlantic depression washed out play for the day.
Only two matches were completed on the worst day of weather at a rain-hit championships, the other being defending champion Amelie Mauresmo's rather more impressive 6-1 6-2 defeat of Italy's Mara Santangelo.
The only real excitement of a depressing day in southwest London came when 2004 champion Sharapova raced against the encroaching rain clouds to finish off Sugiyama.
The final points were played out with the ground staff poised to haul on the covers and Sugiyama complaining that the court was becoming too slippery.
Second seed Sharapova, who had trailed 3-1 in the second set, finally got off court with a winning forehand before almost being caught under the rain covers.
"I heard the weather was not supposed to be good for the rest of the day, so it was really good to finish that," the 20-year-old said.
The 31-year-old Sugiyama, playing at her 53rd consecutive grand slam tournament, appeared furious at the end of the match but chose her words carefully afterwards.
"The last two games were really slippery," she said.
"I didn't want to give it away because, you know, if it's not easy to run, it seems like you're giving up.
"I just told them that it's too slippery. But (the umpire) touched the grass, it was not so wet for her, so I couldn't say anything."
Sharapova is in line to face triple former champion Venus Williams next, although the American 23rd seed was trailing 4-1 in the second set, having won the first, against Akiko Morigama when the deluge arrived.
Fourth seed Mauresmo struggled to hold serve in the first game against the unorthodox Santangelo before settling into her flowing rhythm on Centre Court.
She sent down 11 aces during an easy victory before awarding herself eight out of 10 for her performance.
"We didn't really know when we were going to go on because it didn't look too good," the 27-year-old Frenchwoman told reporters. "I'm just glad that I was able to go on and finish quickly so that I have this third round behind me."
Men's second seed Rafael Nadal only got as far as warming-up in his third round against Swede Robin Soderling and must try again on Monday, as will Lleyton Hewitt and Novak Djokovic.
Despite the dismal weather, organisers ruled out playing on the middle Sunday so all the players will get a rest day.
- REUTERS
