Sharapova sets up meeting with 'one to beat' Kvitova

TENNIS:MARIA SHARAPOVA feels Petra Kvitova is "the one to beat" after setting up a semi-final clash with the Czech at the Australian Open yesterday.

Sharapova was too strong for Ekaterina Makarova – the conqueror of Serena Williams in the previous round – while Kvitova struggled to get past Sara Errani.

Although the number two seed may have turned in an error-filled display in seeing off the world number 48 she has won her last two meetings with Sharapova, including the Wimbledon final last year. And the Russian is expecting another tough encounter.

“I’ve lost to her the last couple of times – including obviously the big one at Wimbledon where she played really well,” she said. “I think she’s the one to beat right now, she’s playing the best tennis of her career, coming off so many wins last year. I’m looking forward to the match-up. I don’t like losing so many times in a row so I’ll certainly be going out there and trying to play my best.”

Sharapova was the more impressive of the two yesterday, a ruthlessly efficient display accounting for Makarova, who acquitted herself well in her first grand slam quarter-final.

“It was solid today,” said Sharapova. “I thought she was going to play well coming off a big win. I really wanted to take advantage of my game and improve from the previous match and I think I stepped up when I had to.”

In a match of hard-hitting baseline rallies, fourth-seed Sharapova possessed the greater accuracy to move through 6-2, 6-3.

The 2008 champion, Sharapova has made smooth progress through the draw. Indeed, the only shadow being cast over her tournament is the issue of grunting which has again been raised, with Sharapova and her fellow semi-finalist Victoria Azarenka singled out as the worst offenders.

Agnieszka Radwanska, beaten by Azarenka in the last eight on Tuesday, expressed hope the WTA would take action. When asked about those comments, Sharapova snapped: “Isn’t she back in Poland already? No one important enough has told me to change or do something different.”

Kvitova overcame a mid-match slump to beat Errani 6-4, 6-4. With her big-hitting game, the match was always going to be played on Kvitova’s terms. And so it proved as the rallies were won or lost by the left-hander, with Errani simply trying to make it as difficult as possible for her opponent.

And for the most part she did a good job. With service holds at a premium, the opening set came down to Kvitova’s consistency and she claimed it in 53 minutes.

And she looked on her way to a routine win when she claimed the Errani serve at the start of the second. But the Italian had other ideas as Kvitova’s game started to disintegrate.

The number of unforced errors from the Czech increased rapidly – she made 44 – and Errani took full advantage, wisely keeping the ball in play and making her opponent play one more shot. It led to her winning four games on the trot. But Kvitova refocused and having held for 2-4, reeled off another four games in a row.