MARIA SHARAPOVA

Hot favorite Maria Sharapova beat compatriot Nadia Petrova 7-6 (8/6) 6-4 in the Quarter-finals of Australian Open 2006.

Fourth seeded Maria Sharapova climbed up twice in the first set. Nadia
was 5‑4 serving for the set, 6‑5 serving for the set and 6‑4 in the tiebreaker. However indomitable Maria won the breaker 8-6 to clinch the first set 7-6 (8-6).

The second set was a service break throughout and Maria Sharapova was 0-40 in the 10th game. Thanks to Nadia’s errors, Maria rattled down five straight points to win the match.

Maria Sharapova won all the three straight Grand Slam quarter-final meet between her and Nadia.

For Maria Sharapova, “it was definitely not easy,” and for Nadia “I just feel like I simply gave it away.”

Now Maria Sharapova will face the winner from other quarter-final between Lindsay Davenport and Justine Henin-Hardenne, in the - Maria’s first -Semi-Finals of Australian Open Tennis Tournament.

Maria Sharapova won fourth round Australian Open match against Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets 6-4 6-4 in Melbourne today.

The ‘Battle of Blonds‘ on Rod Laver Arena, expose more Tennis than just beauty.

17th seeded Daniela Hantuchova put some resistance to the former World number 1 in eight game of the first set, when she broke back Maria. In the second set Slovakian was 3-0 but irressistable Maria ended the tussle 6-4 in her favor.

Earlier concerns of last year Semi Finalist Maria Sharapova related to her shoulder injury is vanished now as she getting in to top form.

Maria Sharapova said “Little by little I am hitting form.”

About the earlier gains Daniela had in todays match, “I kept my composure when I was down at the beginning of both of the sets.”

“I kept calm, tried to get my momentum back and I got there in the end,” Maria Sharapova told.

“Today was one of the hottest days I have ever experienced in my life,” Maria Sharapova was talking about the burning Melbournes’ 40-plus degree temperatures today and Maria would spend tomorrow trying to keep cool before the quarter-final match against fellow Russian Nadia Petrova on Tuesday.

Maria Sharapova revealed another new weapon in third round thrashing of Jelena Kostanic 6-0 6-1. It could be the weapon that would help Maria Sharapova to become the first Russian Australian Open Champion.

Maria Sharapova caught everyone by surprise when she briefly switched to her left hand.

Maria Sharapova said “I write with my right hand, but I throw and I kick with my left hand and my left foot.”

Later Maria Sharapova broke the secret that she was a natural left-hander but only changed sides when she was 11 years old and sometimes she practice left-handed.

“When I was younger, I played a little bit more lefty. I actually was at a point I didn’t know if I was going to play lefty or righty or both hands. I do practice it once in a while just to kind of balance it off.”

“If I feel comfortable enough to hit a lefty, I feel like I’m in the right position to do it, I’m confident that I can make it,” Maria told.

Maria Sharapova had no problem at-all in beating former Australian Open junior champion Kostanic, to meet Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round of the first Grand Slam.