Wimbledon runner-up Maria Sharapova booked a semi-final berth at the Cincinnati men's and women's hardcourt tournament yesterday with a straight-sets victory over Samantha Stosur.
Russian strolls into semis with 6-3, 6-2 win over Stosur
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Russia's Maria Sharapova returns to Australia's Samantha Stosur
during yesterday's Cincinnati Open quarter-final in Ohio. PIC/AFP
Sharapova, seeded fourth, defeated the 10th-seeded Australian 6-3, 6-2 and next faces either second-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia or unseeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova.
In the other women's quarter-finals, 16th-seeded Peng Shuai of China takes on 13th-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic and ninth-seeded German Andrea Petkovic faces Russian Nadia Petrova.
Murray advances
Meanwhile, fourth-seeded Briton Andy Murray rolled into the semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over France's Gilles Simon.
Murray, who was shocked in his opener at Montreal last week, next faces either World No 2 and second seed Rafael Nadal of Spain or seventh-seeded American Mardy Fishy for a place in the final.
Novak Djokovicu00a0 routed Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-3.
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