LONDON, (Reuters) – Memories of successive  second-round defeats at Wimbledon continue to provide the  inspiration for rejuvenated former champion Maria Sharapova who  cruised into the third round yesterday.

A 6-1 6-4 victory over Romania’s Ioana Raluca Olaru  underlined Sharapova’s wellbeing as she stayed on course for a  probable fourth-round showdown with champion Serena Williams.

The former world number one had not long returned from a  nine-month lay-off following shoulder surgery when she lost to  Gisela Dulko last year.

The Russian also exited at the same stage in 2008, a huge  letdown for a player who won the title as a 17-year-old in 2004.  “I knew that coming into this match that last year, I was on  the plane the next day after I lost,” Sharapova reflected after  comfortably overpowering world number 114 Olaru.

“So, I really thought about it, especially towards the end  of the match. I was really excited to get through.”