Russia’s Maria Sharapova has reached the women’s final at the Miami Masters, where she will play Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
The first of the women’s singles semi-finals at the Miami Masters saw Maria Sharapova take on Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.
Petkovic, who had previously beaten top-ranked favorites Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic, made the stronger start, taking the opening set by six games to three.
But then the Russian was fully into her stride. Petkovic had 11 game points in the next set but failed to convert any as the match began to slip away.
In the final set it was a question of time for Sharapova to put the squeeze on her opponent.
Sharapova advanced after a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 win and will struggle for the trophy with 2009 champion Victoria Azarenka, who thrashed number three seed Vera Zvonareva in the other semi-final – 6-0, 6-3, ending the dream of the all-Russian final.