Sharapova Cruises, Ivanovic Struggles
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Sports47 FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2015 AUSTRALIA: Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain hits a return against Maria Sharapova†of Russia in their women’s singles quarter-final match at the Brisbane International tennis tourna- ment.—AFP Sharapova cruises, Ivanovic struggles BRISBANE: Top seeds Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic balls,” Sharapova said. “Especially on a slower court like here, against Ivanovic. She broke the Serbian’s first three service booked their places in the semi-finals of the Brisbane you just don’t want to give her that much time. “I thought I did games to lead 5-0 and 40-30 before faltering, surrendering her International in vastly contrasting fashion yesterday. a good job of that-maybe made a little bit too many unforced next two serves. Ivanovic came storming back but Kanepi at While world number two Sharapova cruised past Spaniard errors in the beginning, but then got a good rhythm and fin- last managed to hold to take the first set in 43 minutes. Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-3, Ivanovic was forced to recover ished strong.” Svitolina earlier came from a set and 0-3 down However, the momentum had swung ever so slightly to the from a horror start before edging Kaia Kanepi 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. to upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. second seed, who levelled the match in a tight second set, Sharapova was in ominous form on Pat Rafter Arena as she The 20-year-old was staring a second round exit in the face then broke Kanepi once in the third to set up a semi-final overpowered Suarez Navarro in just 68 minutes. The top seed- when Kerber had a break point to go ahead 4-0 in the second against American Varvara Lepchenko. “I was feeling the ball ed Russian hit 32 winners in the match, 20 of those from fore- set. But the German hit a simple forehand long and Svitolina well at the start but I just missed some easy points and some hands, as she set up a semi-final against unseeded Ukranian began to claw her way back.”I was not really thinking about put-aways,” Ivanovic said. “But I’m happy with the way I Elina Svitolina. Sharapova was all business yesterday against a the score, I was just trying to play every single point as the last fought back and nearly got there. I was happy with my com- player who beat her in 2014. “I’m always a little bit aware of one,” she said. “That was the only thing I was thinking about, posure in the second. “It was a great test, not only physically girls that I lose to. I certainly know that she’s capable of play- to find my rhythm to play, just rally with her.” Kanepi, the 2012 but also mentally.” Lepchenko ended the run of Alla ing really well, plays defence great and makes you hit a lot of Brisbane champion, came out blazing in her quarter-final Kudryavtseva 7-5, 7-5.—AFP Halep, Kvitova swing into Shenzhen semis BEIJING: Top seed and world number three Simona Halep, along with second seed Petra Kvitova, ranked four, both breezed past lowly opponents in straight sets yesterday to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Shenzhen Open. Romanian Halep, last year’s French Open runner-up, made short work of Serbian qualifier Aleksandra Krunic, winning through 6-3, 6-3 in 62 minutes. Double Wimbledon winner Kvitova needed slightly longer to dispose of her fellow Czech Tereza Smitkova but did so 7-5, 6-4. She will play Swiss number eight seed Timea Bacsinszky in the semi-finals, after former world number two Vera Zvonareva’s injury devils returned to haunt her and she retired in tears just 29 minutes into her first WTA quarter-final since 2012. The Russian reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2010 but has since been plagued by injury and illness, dropping to 250 in the world, and was attempting to launch a 2015 comeback at the $500,000 tournament. Zvonareva was already 3-2 down after 47th-ranked Bacsinszky, her doubles partner, broke her serve. Halep’s semi-final opponent will be home player Zheng Saisai, 20, who is ranked 97th but beat fourth seed Zarina Diyas of CHINA: Tereza Smitkova of Czech Republic hits a return to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic during their Kazakhstan 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 to maintain Chinese interest in the event. —AFP singles quarter final match at the Shenzhen Open WTA Tennis tournament. —AFP.