The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Sharapova, Hingis move up

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Saturday, Feb 03, 2007
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Sharapova, Hingis move up

TOKYO: World No. 1 Maria Sharapova battled her way into the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Japan's Ai Sugiyama on Friday.

The 19-year-old Russian will next face fifth-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic. Ivanovic outlasted fourth-seeded compatriot Jelena Jankovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Later, second-seeded Martina Hingis coasted to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Australia's Samantha Stosur to advance to the semifinals.

Sharapova squandered a 3-1 lead to drop the first set but quickly recovered after a calming head-to-head with coach Michael Joyce to whitewash Sugiyama in the second.

Sharapova has dismissed on-court coaching as a gimmick but she only clicked into gear in her opening match against Italy's Francesca Schiavone following an ear-bashing from Joyce.

Rapid transformation

She made another rapid transformation after dropping the first set to local favourite Sugiyama, winning 12 of the next 13 games to advance to the last four in Tokyo.

"It's never easy against Sugiyama," said Sharapova. "She had the crowd behind her and was able to take the first set, but I'm glad I was able to come back and win."

"It's no coincidence that I play well here," said Hingis, who has won here four times. "The surface suits me and everyone treats me so well here in Japan so that I'm able to relax."

Hingis will next face defending champion Elena Dementieva of Russia, who downed Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-1, 6-2.

Blake's milestone

At Delray Beach, title-holder Tommy Haas of Germany and American top seed James Blake eased through to the quarterfinals of the $416,000 Delray Beach International on Thursday despite blustery on-court conditions.

Haas dispatched big-serving American Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5 while Blake completed his 200th career match victory with a 6-1, 6-3 demolition of compatriot Scoville Jenkins.

Important results:

At Tokyo (WTA Toray Pan Pacific Open): Quarterfinals: Maria Sharapova bt Ai Sugiyama 4-6, 6-0, 6-1; Ana Ivanovic bt Jelena Jankovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Martina Hingis bt Samantha Stosur 6-0, 6-1; Elena Dementieva bt Roberta Vinci 6-1, 6-2.

At Delray Beach (ATP Delray Beach International): Round-robin: Benjamin Becker bt Jesse Levine 6-3, 6-3; Vincent Spadea bt Ryan Sweeting 7-5, 6-4; Tommy Haas bt Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5; David Sanguinetti bt Amer Delic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3; Rainer Schuettler bt Xavier Malisse 6-7(4), 7-6(1), 6-3; James Blake bt Scoville Jenkins 6-1, 6-3.

At Vina Del Mar (ATP Movistar Open): Round-robin: Albert Montanes bt Oscar Hernandez 6-3, 7-5; Martin Vassalo Arguello bt Albert Portas 6-1, 6-1; Carlos Berlocq bt Ivan Navarro Pastor 7-6(4), 6-2.

At Zagreb (ATP PBZ Zagreb Indoors): Second round: Mikhail Youzhny bt Tomas Cakl 6-4, 6-2; Marc Gicquel bt Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Michael Llodra bt Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6(8); Ivan Ljubicic bt Stefan Koubek 7-6(6), 6-7(5), 6-4; Arnaud Clement bt Lukas Dlouhy 6-4, 7-6(5); Thomas Johansson bt Daniele Bracciali 6-3, 1-0 (retd.). — Agencies

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