Sharapova Reaches 5th Miami Final

News

Scores

Rankings

Lucky Letcord Podcast

Shop

Pro Gear

Pickleball

Gear Sale

Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Sharapova Reaches 5th Miami Final

By Chris Oddo

(March 28, 2013) -- Maria Sharapova did what she normally does, and Jelena Jankovic didn't have the energy to stop her.

The Russian reached her fifth career Sony Open final in Miami, with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Jankovic, and will now await the winner of the Serena Williams-Agnieszka Radwanska semifinal to be played later this evening.

Jankovic, who defeated Roberta Vinci in a two and a half hour night match on Wednesday evening, was forced into early afternoon duty on a short rest, and seemed to suffer as a result.

"The girls who play tonight at 7:00, they had a day off yesterday," Jankovic said. "So was kind of crazy. I had a couple of hours of sleep, and then I had to be back on the court. Then, you know, these other girls in the other semis, they, you know, have a day off."

But given Sharapova's recent run of dominance, an extra six hours of rest for Jankovic might have mattered very little.

Sharapova won her eleventh straight match and has now reeled off 22 consecutive sets, a career record for the 25-year-old.

The Russian saved three of four break points and only lost two points on her first serve all afternoon.

Sharapova is bidding to become the third player in history to capture the elusive Indian Wells-Miami double. Steffi Graf (1994-1996) and Kim Clijsters (2005) are the others. She is one of only four players to have reached five Miami finals, and the only player to have done so without winning the title.

(Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/ Getty)