Romanian tennis star Simona Halep is through to the last eight at the ongoing China Open after she defeated controversial Russian player Maria Sharapova.

The world number two saw off former world number one Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-2 in 72 minutes to secure her second China Open quarter-final.

Sharapova had earlier beaten Halep at the US Open in August but an untidy display that included 39 unforced errors in Beijing made sure she ended up on the losing side.

Sharapova, 30, who returned to the court competitively in April after a 15-month doping ban, was competing at the tournament for the first since she won the title in 2014.

The reward for her revenge over Sharapova is a clash with either Polish world number 11 and defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska or Russian Daria Kasatkina for a place in the last four.