By Bill Scott Sep 9, 2006, 0:17 GMT
New York - Maria Sharapova broke through her semi-final troubles to reach a first Grand Slam final in two years with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 win over top seed Amelie Mauresmo at the US Open Friday.
Maria Sharapova of Russia hits a forehand to Amelie Mauresmo of France during their semifinal match on the twelfth day of the 2006 US Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York Friday 08 September 2006. EPA/JUSTIN LANE
The Russian teenager, who won Wimbledon in 2004 but has stalled five times in the semi-finals at the majors since, meets second seed Justine Henin-Hardenne on Saturday.
Sharapova became the first woman to inflict a pair of 6-0 games on a competitor at any major at the semi-final stage in the post-1968 Open era.
Justine Henin-Hardenne turned the tide against Serb Jelena Jankovic, winning the last 10 games after being a set and a break down to reach the final 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Jankovic, who had beaten a trio of Top 10 players to post the best showing of her young career, suffered a lapse after speaking with the chair umpire over a line call while leading a set and 4-2.
Though the dispute was low-key, it proved to be a turning point, with the 21-year-old then double-faulting to lose serve.
That opened the floodgates for five-time Grand Slam winner Henin- Hardenne, who came through despite a disorganized start.
Sharapova dominated Mauresmo for two of their three sets.
'It was tough to be broken in last game of the second set,' said the third seed, who had not lost a set in the tournament until that moment.
'She played good tennis to do it. But I hung in there, I'd lost a set, not the match,' Sharapova said. 'It was all equal and I just kept going.'
Mauresmo could now lose her world number 1 ranking if Henin- Hardenne earns the title, her second at the venue and second this season after winning the French Open in June.
'I came a bit from nowhere, it's the kind of match that I probably would have lost in the past,' the Belgian said. 'I'm very happy to be in my fourth Grand Slam final this year.'
The last person to reach four major finals in a year was Martina Hingis in 1997.
'I was pretty nervous the beginning of the match. I wasn't in the good rhythm,' Henin-Hardenne said.
Jankovic, who started the season 1-10 before a May breakthrough in Rome, has gone 32-12 since.
But her brief mental lapse was enough to see the hard-charging Henin-Hardenne through to the fighting victory.
'She was playing terrific at that time. She was just on fire. She played an unbelievable tournament,' Henin-Hardenne said. 'She put a lot of pressure on me, she had a lot of motivation, and was playing without pressure.'
Henin-Hardenne said she will be ready to play the final, despite dealing with a rib problem in her back dating from her quarter-final victory over Lindsay Davenport.
'I don't have the choice, I have to be ready. This was a tough match and I'll need a good recovery,' she said. 'But I'll be giving 200 per cent on court tomorrow night.'
Henin-Hardenne ended the two-hour-plus encounter with 34 winners and nine breaks of serve.
The Belgian has now won a WTA-leading 54 matches this season.
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