Sharapova fights back to down Wozniacki

Updated March 30, 2012 14:00:16

Maria Sharapova advanced to her fourth Miami final after the world number two rallied to beat fourth seeded Caroline Wozniacki 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Sharapova, a three-time runner-up in Miami, is in her second consecutive tournament final after losing in straight sets to Victoria Azarenka at Indian Wells.

"I started off the match so well and then I just had a concentration dropped a little bit and she started playing so much better. But I am happy I pulled it through," Sharapova said.

The 24-year-old Sharapova will face either Polish fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska or Marion Bartoli of France in the final. She lost in the Miami final in 2005, 2006 and last year.

Sharapova clinched the two hour, 34 minute match on the second match point but she needed the chair umpire to overrule a call on the second one after her serve was initially called long.

The chair umpire disagreed and overruled the initial call, saying it was on the line. Wozniacki did not like it but the television video replay backed up the umpire.

Sharapova stepped up for her second serve then worked her way into position so she could eventually hit an easy forehand smash at the net for the winner.

Wozniacki, who was out of challenges, said it does not matter that the replay showed the ball was in.

"I think when the ball is so close that I think he should give her a chance to challenge at least when I don't have any challenges," Wozniacki said.

"She was gonna challenge it, anyways. So if it shows it's good, it's good. If it shows it's out, it's out. The ball was so close that it might as well have been out."

Sharapova is now a perfect 4-0 in semi-finals in Miami and beat Wozniacki after losing the last two meetings to her on hardcourts.

"I was going to challenge and then he overruled it," Sharapova said.

"It is a tough situation to be in because it is close to the end of the match and both of us fought so hard for over two hours and you don't want the match to end like that."

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, united-states

First posted March 30, 2012 10:02:31

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