Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova kept on course for a third successive WTA title on Saturday, beating fellow Russian Elena Dementieva in the semi-finals of the Zurich Challenge. The 17-year-old world number seven fought back from a set down to topple the world number five 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
"It was a very tough match and a very long one, so I'm happy to have won," Sharapova said after taking the encounter in just under two hours. "I thought I was the more aggressive player on the crucial points which helped me dictate the play."
In Sunday's final Sharapova will take on unseeded Australian Alicia Molik who upset local favorite and 10th-seed Patty Schnyder 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Sharapova will be a strong favorite in the final against Molik, although the 23-year-old Australian has shown little respect for her supposed betters in Zurich this week.
Saturday's win was Sharapova's 12th in a row, coming off the back of tournament triumphs in Seoul and Tokyo.
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