Baltacha will take on Sharapova for the first time on Thursday

British number one Elena Baltacha will take on former world number one Maria Sharapova in the quarter-finals of the Cellular South Cup in Memphis.

The Scot extended her unbeaten run to seven matches with a 6-4 6-4 win over Canada's Valerie Tetreault in the second round on Wednesday.

Top seed Sharapova thrashed Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1 6-1.

Britain's Anne Keothavong marched into the last eight with a 6-3 6-1 win over Portugal's Michelle Larcher de Brito.

The British number three will play world number 87 Karolina Sprem, who beat fellow Croat Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6 6-2 6-0, in the quarter-finals, with second seed Melanie Oudin or Sofia Arvidsson the potential semi-final opponents.

"She's a tough opponent indoors," Keothavong said of Sprem. "She's been a top-20 player and is capable of playing really well but I'm feeling good and will give it my best shot.'

Londoner Keothavong, 26, reached the semi-finals in Memphis last year.

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Although the early stages of the match suggested a tight battle, Keothavong stepped up her performance and was eventually cruising.

She was commanding on serve and fired down six aces, with the result suggesting she is ready to return to the top 100, having lost points during her six-month spell on the sidelines after knee surgery.

"I played quite within myself today and it was another good performance," Keothavong told her website.

"It's great to be in the quarters of my first WTA tournament back and I'm happy to be back in this competitive environment."

Baltacha is in the form of her life and rose to a career-high ranking of 70 after winning the ITF Dow Corning Classic in Michigan on Sunday.

The 26-year-old will take on Sharapova for the first time on Thursday, with the Russian trying to rediscover her form after struggling with a long-term shoulder injury.

Currently ranked 16 in the world, the former Wimbledon, US and Australian Open Champion has played just three matches so far this year.

In the men's event, top seed Andy Roddick beat fellow American James Blake 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-3).

Latvia's Ernests Gulbis upset third seed Radek Stepanek 7-6 (7-5) 7-5, and Belgium's Xavier Malisse defeated fourth seed Tommy Haas 6-4 3-6 6-4.

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