Australian Samantha Stosur has been beaten in a marathon three-set match by world No.2 Maria Sharapova in the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart WTA claycourt tournament.
Sharapova needed more than three hours to complete the comeback 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 victory against US Open winner Stosur to reach Saturday’s semi-finals.
Having won the first set tie-breaker, world No.5 Stosur served for the match at 5-4 in the second, only for Sharapova to hit back and claim the win after three hours, one minute on court.
The Russian hit 11 aces, compared to Stosur’s seven, and as the quarter-final finished at just before 2300 local time, the Russian said recovery was her main concern.
“She has a great serve and she served as well as she ever has against me,” said Sharapova, who will play either Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova or Germany’s Angelique Kerber in Saturday’s semi-final.
“It was pretty difficult to play against her, so I am very happy with the win. It’s not over until the last point has been played and you’ve shaken hands.
“She had her chances to win, so I am just happy to have reached the last four.”
In the other semi-final, top seed and world No.1 Victoria Azarenka will play fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
All of Radwanska’s four losses this year have come at the hands of Azarenka and having also reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart last year, the Polish No.1 said it takes a special effort to beat the world’s top female player.
“You have to be at the top of your game and play some great tennis to beat her,” admitted Radwanska.
Azarenka needed nearly three hours to see off German wildcard Mona Barthel 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 as her big-hitting opponent smashed down 13 aces.
Having already beaten ex-world No.1 Ana Ivanovic and seventh-seed Marion Bartoli on the way to the quarters, Barthel put up another battling performance to take the match to three sets.
This was Azarenka’s fourth win over the 21-year-old German this year.
Radwanska booked her place in the semis by beating French Open champion Li Na of China 3-6 6-2 6-3.
The Chinese struggled to cope as Radwanska raised her game with a series of drop shots and strong returns in the second set before carrying her improved form into the third.
With Roland Garros to start on May 27, Radwanska said she was enjoying finding her feet on clay courts as she bids to win her first grand slam title.
“I am enjoying my tennis and just trying everything at the moment, which probably worked against me in the first set,” said the 23-year-old, who claimed her ninth tour title at Miami recently.
“I was more calm in the second set and I am just happy I could turn things around. I just hope this is my year, so I can take the next step.”