Intro:

Maria Sharapova overcame Caroline Wozniacki to reach the Madrid Open semi-finals on Thursday (7th May) with Serena Williams brushing aside Carla Suarez Navarro to reach the last four.

Script:

Maria Sharapova needed three sets to defeat Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open on Thursday.

The Russian star raced through the first set 6-1 and broke in the opening game of the second set, but Wozniacki broke back immediately and went on to win the set 6-3 to force the match into a decider.

Sharapova made what turned out to be the decisive break in the eighth game and then served out to win 6-1 3-6 6-3 and set up a semi-final with Lucie Safarova.

Serena Williams had far less trouble with home favourite Carla Suarez Navarro.

The pair played out some close games early on but Suarez Navarro was unable to get on the scoreboard with Williams playing some incredible recovery shots.

The Spaniard avoided the dreaded 'bagel' but only just as the world number one took the first set 6-1.

Williams broke early in the second set and, despite some valiant resistance from Suarez Navarro, ran out a comfortable 6-1 6-3 winner.

The American will now face Petra Kvitova for a place in the final.