Maria Sharapova advanced to the semifinals of the WTA Championships with a 5-7 6-2 6-2 victory over world No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova on Thursday.
Maria Sharapova shows her delight after clinching a point during her win against Svetlana Kuznetsova.
The sixth-ranked Russian broke her compatriot in the fifth game of the second and third sets to advance to the last four of the season-ending event for the fourth successive time since winning on debut in 2004.
Sharapova's win, which followed her opening victory against Daniela Hantuchova, also meant that first-time qualifier Ana Ivanovic advanced to the semifinals out of the Red Group.
Kuznetsova and eighth-ranked Slovakian Hantuchova have now been knocked out of the round-robin tournament.
"I thought I did a good job in the first set, I had a little less match experience than her at the end but I stayed together, stayed tough and came through," said Sharapova, who is still recovering from shoulder problems which have plagued her since before the U.S. Open.
"I'm really happy I didn't just stay home and quit and not come out here. I'm good, this is really good for me. This will only make me physically stronger."
Kuznetsova managed only 15 winners to Sharapova's 40, but broke her opponent in the 12th game to take the first set.
Sharapova broke to love in the fifth game of the third with a forehand and cruised from there.
She will play Serbia's Ivanovic in her final group game on Friday, with the loser to take on defending champion Justine Henin in the semifinals.
November 9th, 2007
Posted by: Marco
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