• WTA Tour

Sharapova limps out in Tokyo

ESPN staff
September 29, 2011
Maria Sharapova was forced to retire with an ankle injury © Getty Images
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Maria Sharapova failed to avenge her Wimbledon final defeat after she was forced to retire during her quarter-final against Petra Kvitova at the Pan Pacific Open.

Second seed Sharapova, a two-time champion in Tokyo, was trailing 4-3 in the opening set when she twisted her left ankle. After a medical timeout, Sharapova offered her hand to her opponent after opting not to continue.

Kvitova, who before arriving in Japan had failed to win back-to-back matches since her victory at the All England Club, will now play Vera Zvonareva for a place in the final after the fourth seed beat fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko in straight sets.

Kirilenko had beaten US Open champion Sam Stosur and former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic en route to the quarter-finals, but she posed little resistance to Zvonareva, who powered into the semi-finals with a 6-3 6-2 victory.

Third seed Victoria Azarenka remains on course for a third title of the year after beating Marion Bartoli. Azarenka recovered from a shaky start, rallying from a break down to take a tight opening set, before streaking away to a 7-5 6-0 victory. The Belarusian will face Agnieszka Radwanska in the second semi-final after the ninth seed triumphed in a narrow second set tiebreak to beat Estonian Kaia Kanepi 6-2 7-6(7).

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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