Maria Sharapova reached her first French Open semi-final on Tuesday said she wouldn't be surprised if she went on to win the title.
PARIS: Maria Sharapova reached her first French Open semi-final on Tuesday when she defeated Russian compatriot Anna Chakvetadze 6-3, 6-4 and said she wouldn't be surprised if she went on to win the title.
Sharapova, the reigning US Open champion and former Wimbledon winner, has always been dismissed as a French Open contender with the demanding clay surface exposing her problems with movement around the court.
But at the fifth time of asking, the 20-year-old finally managed to break through into the Roland Garros last four where she will face Serbian teenager Ana Ivanovic for a place in the final.
"I wouldn't be surprised if I won the tournament," said Sharapova.
"Others might be surprised because I didn't play a lot on clay when I was younger.
"It also doesn't surprise me that I'm in the semi-finals. I am proud to have made it. In every tournament I play, I always believe in myself whether it's clay or mud. I know what I'm capable of."
The Russian second seed subdued ninth seed Chakvetdaze in a far more convincing manner than she did to defeat Switzerland's Patty Schnyder in the previous round where she had to save three match points.
She also said her shoulder injury, which forced her off the tour for two months, was improving and she was feeling more comfortable with every match.
"I thought the shoulder would be worse than it was," said Sharapova.
"I'm making good progress with it and it has held up well especially after the third round.
"The first serve felt really good today. I was able to serve consistently well while feeling good."
On Tuesday, she broke to lead 4-2, fought off three break points in the seventh game to lead 5-2 before taking the opener on a third set point in the ninth game courtesy of a trademark, big forehand.
The pair exchanged breaks in the first two games of the second set before Sharapova stepped up her assault in the ninth. She took the opening point after a bruising 26-shot rally and that marathon exchange drained the fight out of Chakvetadze who dropped serve to love.
Sharapova was not to be denied and she served out the match after just 78 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen taking victory when her opponent pushed a forehand return wide. Chakvetadze was in tears as she walked off court.
Thursday's semi-final will be hard to predict. Sharapova and Ivanovic have shared their only two career meetings and have never played on clay but the young Serb came into Paris buoyed by having won the Berlin claycourt title last month.
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