Sharapova to clash with Henin-Hardenne for US Open title
New York – Maria Sharapova left the world no. 1 Amelie Mauresmo powerless as she rifled forehand crosscourt winners and passed shots at unforgiving angles. Sharapova, who had not reached a final of a Grand Slam event since winning Wimbledon in 2004, crushed Mauresmo, 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 to advance to the finals of US Open.
19-year-old Sharapova, seeded third, did not look vulnerable “I’m not done yet,” she told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. “I haven’t beat Amélie in a competition match before, I beat her today,”
“I didn’t think that I played a bad second set,” Sharapova said. “She just played a really good game to beat me. And if I could beat her 6-0 in the first, I could definitely do it again. There was no doubt in my mind.”
Mauresmo was gracious in defeat. She said, "All credit to her. I didn't play the way I wanted to today. Even when I won the second set, I didn't really feel things were going the way I wanted."
The teenaged Russian is now set to face the Belgian, against whom she has earlier lost four matches. Sharapova said. “I don’t have a great record with Justine, so, you know, I mean, it doesn’t really matter. It’s a new match, new opportunity.”
In another women’s semi-final Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne, the French Open winner, trailed Serbia's Jelena Jankovic after losing the first set, 4-6. But the Belgian managed to take the final ten games to mark a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory over the Serbian.
For Henin-Hardenne, 24, getting to the finals is a habit. She has now become the seventh women to make it to the finals the finals of all four Grand Slams after Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Margaret Court.
“Being with all these names, it’s just unbelievable,” said Henin-Hardenne, who won the French Open last June. “It’s almost a dream this year. I wish I would have more than a Grand Slam title now in 2006.”
