Wimbledon 2014: Dominant Maria Sharapova beats Alison Riske

Sharapova is hoping to win her second Grand Slam title of the year, after taking the French Open title

Fifth seed and 2004 champion Maria Sharapova reached the fourth round at Wimbledon with a comfortable 6-3 6-0 win over American Alison Riske.

Riske, the world number 44, earned an early 3-1 lead but once Sharapova took control she was totally dominant.

The Russian will face ninth seed Angelique Kerber, who beat 24th seed Kirsten Flipkens 3-6 6-3 6-2.

Also through to the last 16 are Romanian third seed Simona Halep and 13th seed Eugenie Bouchard from Canada.

French Open finalist Halep beat last year's girls' singles champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-4 6-1 while 20-year-old Bouchard saw off German 20th seed Andrea Petkovic 6-3 6-4.

Bouchard's next opponent will be Alize Cornet, after the Frenchwoman shocked top seed Serena Williams 1-6 6-3 6-4.

Kazakh world number 72 Zarina Diyas continued her dream Wimbledon debut by beating Russian veteran Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 6-3 and will next face Halep.

But the game between last year's beaten finalist Sabine Lisicki and former world number one Ana Ivanovic was suspended because of bad light at 1-1 in the second set after Lisicki won the first 6-4.

French Open champion Sharapova told BBC Sport: "I made a slow start but I felt better as the match went on."

Riske broke the Sharapova serve in the opening game of the match, which was played under the closed Centre Court roof because of rain.

The American held her serve twice to take a 3-1 lead but, watched by a host of sporting stars, including David Beckham, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Winter Olympic gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold, Sharapova sent down a succession of winners to win the next 11 games.

The Russian is into the last 16 for the ninth time in 12 appearances.

"Alison is a great grass-court player and I knew it would be a challenge," Sharapova added.

"I am happy to be in the second week after missing out last year."

Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova led Madison Keys of the United States 7-6 (9-7) 6-6 when bad light forced the suspension of their match.

Actor Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon Cooper in TV show The Big Bang Theory, is a Eugenie Bouchard fan

Bouchard (right) will face Alize Cornet, who beat Serena Williams, in the last 16

Spectators at SW19 were forced to brave the wet conditions as rain delayed play for much of the day