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January 5, 2018

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Home » Sports » Tennis

Sharapova, Halep cruise into Shenzhen semifinals

Source: Agencies | 00:01 UTC+8 January 5, 2018 | Print Edition

Former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova cruised past Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas and into the semifinals of the Shenzhen Open yesterday.

Sharapova, who won 6-3, 6-3, struck 24 winners and five aces to stay on course for a title clash with top-ranked Simona Halep after the Romanian dismissed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2.

“I’m glad that I ended up being the winner of the match,” Sharapova said. “I didn’t play my best tennis and there’s certainly a lot of things to improve on in the next. The great thing is that I’m through and have another chance to play tomorrow.”

The five-time grand slam champion committed 22 unforced errors in the match but stepped up her game at decisive moments of the contest to get past her spirited rival.

Sharapova’s only title in 2017 came at the Tianjin Open, after she came back from a 15-month doping ban, and the world No. 59 is aiming for a title-winning start to the year in her first visit to Shenzhen.

“I feel like I’m having a nice little tour of China. It’s my fourth Chinese city in a few months,” Sharapova added.

“It’s obviously been a great welcome here. It took many years for me to play this event but I’m really glad that I did.”

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