Sharapova comes back to beat Bartoli at US Open
NEW YORK (AP) - Maria Sharapova came from behind after a rain delay for the second straight match, advancing to the U.S. Open semifinals with a three-set victory over Marion Bartoli.
The four-time Grand Slam champion won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday, a day after the quarterfinal started.
Sharapova had trailed 4-0 when rain halted play. After more wet weather delayed the restart, she couldn't erase the deficit in the first set but gritted out the win to improve to 12-0 in three-set matches this year.
"I think that rain break gave me a few hours to think about things," Sharapova said in an on-court interview afterward. "I came out so flat yesterday; she came out on fire. She's so tough."
The 11th-seeded Bartoli was in the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time.
In the fourth round Sunday, the third-seeded Russian was down a break in the third set to Nadia Petrova before rallying after an hour-long break. She next faces top-ranked Victoria Azarenka, who finished her match Tuesday.
Sharapova broke Bartoli's serve at 4-4 in the decisive set to put herself in position to serve out the match. The Frenchwoman saved two break points and earned a game point, but Sharapova pressured her into three straight mistakes to go up 5-4.
Sharapova's 10th ace gave her match point.
Updated September 5, 2012
© 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
