Sharapova outlasts Wozniacki

Tennis: World number two Maria Sharapova booked her place in the final of the women's event with a 4-6 6-2 6-4 victory in a …

Tennis:World number two Maria Sharapova booked her place in the final of the women's event with a 4-6 6-2 6-4 victory in a topsy-turvy match against fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki.

Sharapova raced into a 4-1 lead, before Wozniacki rallied to win five games in a row, taking the first set. The second was more one-sided, and the Russian edged the third to advance in two hours and 34 minutes.

Sharapova admitted: “I’m really pleased that after losing that first one, being up and playing really well and then backing off, I could have easily just (have gone) down in the second set. But I really stepped it up again. I went out there and started being aggressive. I didn’t stop after I put myself in a good position. I’m extremely pleased that I pulled it out.”

Sharapova will face fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the final after the Pole beat Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-2 in the second semi-final. French seventh seed Bartoli could not repeat the heroics of her victory over world number one Victoria Azarenka, whose 26-match winning run she ended on Wednesday.