MOSCOW, March 28 (R-Sport) – World No. 2 Maria Sharapova will face Jelena Jankovic in the Miami Masters semifinals after battling past Sara Errani in just under three hours.
While she struggled with her serve throughout the match, Sharapova managed to save three set points in the second set to seal a 7-5, 7-5 win over the Italian.
“I feel very lucky that I'm through,” Sharapova told WTA's website. “(Errani) had her chances to win that second set - who knows what would have happened. I'm lucky to get to the next one and have a chance to be in the semis again.”
The Russian star, who has lost all four of her final appearances in Key Biscayne, faces Jankovic in the semifinals after the 22nd-seeded Serb accounted for another Italian, Roberta Vinci.
Sharapova or Jankovic will face a tough draw in the finals as reigning Miami Masters champion Agnieszka Radwanska and world No. 1 Serena Williams square off in the second semifinal later Thursday.
On the men's side, third seed David Ferrer vaulted into the semis, eliminating Austrian Jurgen Melzer, the last unseeded player in the tournament.
Ferrer plays 15th-seed Tommy Haas, who knocked out top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the fourth round before ousting Gilles Simon, the 11th seed, in straight sets on Thursday.
