March 31, 2011
Russia's Maria Sharapova reached her first final in seven months with a 3-6 6-0 6-2 victory over Germany's Andrea Petkovic in Miami.
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Two-time runner-up Russia's Maria Sharapova reached her first final in seven months with a 3-6 6-0 6-2 victory over Germany's Andrea Petkovic in Miami and will play Saturday's women's final at the $4.5 million Sony Ericsson Open.
Sharapova, currently 13th in the world but now sure of a place in the top 10 next week, faced a little resistance late in the third but by then the outcome was clear as Andrea Petkovic's run of upsets came to a rather flat end. A 16th-seeded and Sharapova came from behind to beat 21st-seeded German Andrea Petkovic 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 amid sunny, breezy conditions on the hardcourts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park.
After Petkovic easily took the opening set on Day 11, the former world No. 1 Sharapova roared back, winning 11 straight games at one point en route to a commanding 5-0 lead in the final stanza.
Sharapova prevailed in 2 hours, 7 minutes despite piling up eight double faults. She did, however, record seven service breaks in the big victory.
The three-time major champion Sharapova was the back-to-back Miami runner-up in 2005 and 2006.
The 23-year-old Sharapova will appear in her first championship match of the year. The big Russian is 22-11 in her previous career WTA finals.
Sharapova's opponent on Saturday afternoon will be third-seeded fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva or eighth-seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. Zvonareva was the runner-up at last year's U.S. Open and Wimbledon events. The capable Azarenka, who ousted defending Miami champion Kim Clijsters here on Wednesday, was the Miami champ two years ago.
The winner of this 13-day event will collect $700,000.
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