Russian beauty improving on clay as she prepares to take on China's Na Li in today's semi-final
Russian beauty improving on clay as sheu00a0prepares to take on China's Na Li inu00a0today's semi-finalMaria Sharapova of Russia and Li Na of China both put aside years of struggling on claycourts yesterday to set up a tantalising French Open semi-final showdown.
The seventh seeded Sharapova underlined her new found confidence on the slippery red dirt at Roland Garros with au00a0 6-0, 6-3 thumping of Germany's Andrea Petkovic. Li, seeded six, hit back from a break down in each set to defeat Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 7-5, 6-2.
Russian Maria Sharapova plays a shot during yesterday's French Open
quarter-final match against German Andrea Petkovic. Sharapova won
6-0, 6-3. PIC/Getty Images Today's other semi-final opposes defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy and France's 11th seed Marion Bartoli.
Sharapova's win moved her to within two wins of a career Grand Slam, a feat that only nine women have achieved.
A semi-finalist here in 2007, the 24-year-old Russian was in unstoppable form in the first set, breaking in the first, third and fifth games before taking the opener 6-0 with the Russian allowing the German just seven points on her serve.
Petkovic, who had defeated Sharaopova to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final in Australia in January, was quickly 0-2 down in the second set before she stopped the rot, finally getting on the scoreboard after 51 minutes.
The 23-year-old then levelled at 2-2 with her first break of the match but Sharapova, playing with a rare freedom of movement on a surface which has caused her numerous problems in the past, clawed back the break for a 3-2 lead.
Petkovic then broke for 3-3 after a lengthy sixth game, but former World No 1 Sharapova once again summoned her famed fighting spirit to run off three games in a row. "It was tougher than the scoreline suggests. There were a lot of games that could have gone either way. I played really smart on the important points," said Sharapova.
"There is no doubt I have improved on this surface. As the years have gone on I feel I have got better and better.
"I feel physically I have overcome many challenges that maybe a few years ago would have been tough for me."
The 29-year-old Li became the first Chinese player to reach a French Open semi-final with her accomplished win over fourth seed Azarenka.
