She overcame constant deficits in a three-hour match with Agnieszka Radwanska which finished in the early hours of yesterday morning, carrying Sharapova exhausted to her bed and to a place in the semi-finals of the WTA Championships.

“It was such a physical match,” said Sharapova after a 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 win which equalled the longest in number of games of any match in the 40-year history of the WTA Championships.

Rafa to miss London
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal, out of action since June, will miss the ATP Tour Finals in London and also next week’s Paris indoor event owing to his injured left knee.u00a0