Australian Open semi-final rivals Maria Sharapova and Ekaterina Makarova are contemporaries as well as countrywomen.

Russia’s two best female tennis players have both been features of the WTA Tour for many years and have played each other five times, with Sharapova victorious on each occasion.

They have also been occasional Fed Cup teammates and are likely to team up again early next month in Poland.

Having skipped the Fed Cup for the past three years, Sharapova has flagged her intention to return to the national teams event this year as it’s a prerequisite for selection for the Rio Olympics.

But to describe Sharapova and Makarova – who clash at Melbourne Park on Thursday – as close would be most inaccurate.

Makarova still calls her birthplace of Moscow home while global megastar Sharapova has been a US resident since she was taken to Florida at the age of seven by her ambitious father Yuri.

When pushed, Sharapova recalled that she had practised with Makarova several years ago in the lead-up to Fed Cup ties.

“I try not to focus on that, I know it’s always tougher,” the world No.2 said when quizzed on the dynamics of playing another Russian.

“That’s why I always try to focus more on what I have to do to win the match more than where we’re from.”

Makarova, 26, is enjoying career-best form at the majors having matched her breakthrough run to the last four at last year’s US Open with a maiden semi-final appearance at Melbourne Park.

Two of Sharapova’s five career wins over Makarova came at the Australian Open in the 2012 and 2013 quarter-finals.

“I’ve never beaten her, so it will be tough,” said Makarova.

“Definitely she’s a great fighter.

“Like here on the second round (against another Russian Alexandra Panova), she almost lost, but she turned it around.”

Makarova listed her idol as another Russian grand slam winner in Anastasia Myskina, the 2004 French Open champion.

“That was a great time when (Elena) Dementieva, (Svetlana) Kuznetsova, (Dinara) – Safina – it was like four girls in the quarter-finals, two of them in the semis,” she said without mentioning Sharapova.

“Now there’s a little bit less of us.

“I really wanted to be one of them when I was watching them and learning some things from them.”

Makarova was then asked whether Sharapova felt like part of that group.

“Well, that’s a tough question,” responded the No.10 seed.

“I just want to leave it.”

HOW MARIA SHARAPOVA AND EKATERINA MAKAROVA MATCH UP FOR THEIR AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMI-FINAL AT MELBOURNE PARK ON THURSDAY:

2-MARIA SHARAPOVA (RUS) leads 10-EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS) 5-0

2011 Madrid, clay, R32, Sharapova 6-3 3-6 6-1

2011 Rome, clay, R32, Sharapova 6-1 6-1

2012 Australian Open, hard, QF, Sharapova 6-2 6-3

2012 Miami, hard, R16, Sharapova 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

2013 Australian Open, hard, QF, Sharapova 6-2 6-2

MARIA SHARAPOVA

Age: 27

Ranking: 2

Career-high ranking: 1 (2005)

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US32,730,238 ($A41.63 million)

Career titles: 34

Grand slam titles: 5 (Australian Open 2008; French Open 2012, 2014; Wimbledon 2004; US Open 2006)

Australian Open win-loss record: 47-10

Best Australian Open performance: champion 2008

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

Age: 26

Ranking: 11

Career-high ranking: 10 (2015)

Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US6,749,831 ($A8.58 million)

Career titles: 2

Grand slam titles: 0

Australian Open win-loss record: 23-7

Best Australian Open performance: semi-finalist 2015