Maria Sharapova was given a scare by Alona Bondarenko before progressing to the quarters in Indian Wells.
Australian Open champ still to lose in 2008 after beating Bondarenko
Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova was given a scare by Alona Bondarenko before maintaining her perfect start to the year at the Pacific Life Championship.
The Russian, who won in Indian Wells in 2006, has yet to lose in 2008 and clinched her 17th successive victory after seeing off Bondarenko 6-2 5-7 6-4.
Having eased through the first set Sharapova seemed to lose focus in the second with a number of errors creeping into her game as her opponent pulled level.
But she refocused and broke in the ninth game of the decider to emerge victorious in just under three hours, setting up a quarter-final with Daniela Hantuchova in the process.
Afterwards the 20-year-old admitted she thought at one stage she was heading for defeat, stating: "I felt like I was pretty close to being down and out because I wasn't able to produce good points for a long period of time.
"I would play a good game, I would get down again and then I would miss three returns in a row. I was just giving her so many opportunities out there.
"I wasn't playing my best tennis, far from it, but I was just tough in the end and it gets me through a lot of matches."
Ivanovic, Jankovic progress
Elsewhere, top-seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic came from a set down to beat Italy's Francesca Schiavone 2-6 7-5 6-2 and now faces Russian Vera Zvonareva who overcame Australia's Casey Dellacqua.
Meanwhile, number three seed Jelena Jankovic eased past Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3 6-3 to set up a quarter-final clash with twice former champion American Lindsay Davenport who proved too strong for sixth seed Marion Bartoli of France 6-2 7-5.
