World No. 2 Maria Sharapova will face Australia’s Samantha Stosur at the quarterfinal stage of the Stuttgart Grand Prix after Stosur beat Germany’s Julia Goerges on Thursday.
Stosur knocked out Goerges 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in her first win against the German in three meetings.
Reigning U.S. Open champion Stosur will be the first seeded player Sharapova has faced in Stuttgart, after the Russian received a bye in the first round and played French qualifier Alize Cornet in the second.
Sharapova was leading 6-3, 1-0 when Cornet retired with a shoulder injury.
