Rejuvenated Sharapova eyes final flourish
(08-01 14:00)
Russian star Maria Sharapova is poised to capture her third title of the year and a rankings milestone after beating Agnieszka Radwanska in a WTA Bank of the West semi-final.
Fifth seed Sharapova rallied for a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 triumph over the Polish third seed, advancing to the championship match of the California hardcourt event against eighth seed Victoria Azarenka.
If Russian beauty Sharapova defeats the Belarus star who turned 21 on Saturday, she will rise from 15th in the world and achieve her best ranking since returning from a shoulder injury in May of last year.
Azarenka ousted Australian top seed Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-3, to qualify for her third final of the season. Azarenka has yet to win a title in 2010 and is 1-2 lifetime against Sharapova.
"I will have to be prepared,'' said Azarenka, who has won 10 of her past 12 matches.
Sharapova has won 17 of her past 20 matches and overcame a sluggish start with a sizzling finish, firing four aces and making all eight of her unforced errors on double faults but none of them coming in the third set.
Azarenka, who ousted 2009 Stanford winner Marion Bartoli of France in the quarter-finals, improved to 18-5 this season on hardcourts, the surface where she has won her three career WTA titles.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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