Advertisement

Help
You are here: Rediff Home » India » Sports » Tennis » Reuters > Report
Search:  Rediff.com The Web
Advertisement
  Discuss this Article   |      Email this Article   |      Print this Article

Sharapova enters semis
Get Sports updates:What's this?
Advertisement
June 17, 2007 17:45 IST

Maria Sharapova [Images] began her quest to play catch-up at the rain-hit Birmingham Classic by winning back-to-back matches on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the grasscourt championships.

After a battling 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over Austrian teenager Tamira Paszek the top seed defeated fellow Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 6-3 to book her place in the last four.

On a day when the Sharapova should have been contesting only a semi-final, she found herself lagging two rounds behind after rain washed out her match against Paszek on Friday.

After a 56-minute disruption in the opening set against Paszek, Sharapova allowed a 4-3 lead in the second set slip through and was forced to play a decider.

The 2004 Wimbledon champion was back on court just hours later and was relieved to carve out a straight sets win against Likhovtseva.

Third seed Daniela Hantuchova [Images] moved back into the top 10 for the first time in almost four years when she overwhelmed Eleni Daniilidou 7-6, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.

The Slovakian was back on court again later in the day as organisers attempted to clear a backlog of matches but her game with Marion Bartoli was suspended due to darkness at 7-5, 4-6.

Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic appeared to show no ill effects from the stiff neck which troubled her on Friday when she beat Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko 6-4, 6-3.

Fourth seed Li Na's patience finally ran out and she was beaten 6-2, 7-5 by Italian eighth seed Mara Santangelo in the quarters.



© Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
 Email this Article      Print this Article

© 2007 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Feedback