Sports

Sharapova beats Kim Clijsters in Australian Open semis

10:08 25/01/2007

MELBOURNE, January 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Maria Sharapova gained a comfortable victory over Belgium's Kim Clijsters in the semi-final of the Australian Open Thursday, winning 6-4 6-2.

In Saturday's final the 19-year-old top-seed will meet Serena Williams, who beat the Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova 7-6 6-4 earlier Thursday.

The Russian world number 2, ranked 79 places above the unseeded American, will be the clear favorite for the title, and under any outcome will top the WTA rankings after the tournament.

Sharapova has two Grand Slam singles titles, and is the reigning U.S. Open champion. In 2004, she defeated Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final.

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<div style="border:1px solid #d3d3d3; padding:17px 0 0px 17px; background:#ffffff; width:510px;"><div style="width:100%; overflow:hidden;"><a target="_blank" href="http://en.rian.ru/sports/20070125/59660962.html" style="text-decoration:none;"><img src="http://en.rian.ru/i/eng/logo_sml.gif" alt="RIA Novosti" title="RIA Novosti" style="float:left; margin-right:10px;" border="0" /></a><a target="_blank" href="http://en.rian.ru/sports/20070125/59660962.html" style="color:#000000;text-decoration:none;display: block; margin: 0 10px 0 0 ;"><strong style="font:19px Georgia,Arial,sans-serif; line-height:16px; font-weight:bold;">Sharapova beats Kim Clijsters in Australian Open semis</strong></a><p style="font:13px Georgia,Arial,sans-serif; padding:5px 10px 0px 0;"><span style="color:#5590bf;">10:08</span> <span style="color:#5590bf; padding-right:7px;">25/01/2007</span> <span style="font-size:12px;">Russia's Maria Sharapova gained a comfortable victory over Belgium's Kim Clijsters in the semi-final of the Australian Open Thursday, winning 6-4 6-2. <a target="_blank" style="color:#335f86; padding-left:10px; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://en.rian.ru/sports/20070125/59660962.html" title="Sharapova beats Kim Clijsters in Australian Open semis">>></a></span></p><div style="padding:6px 0 15px 30px; font:10px Verdana,sans-serif;"><a target="_blank" style="color:#114472; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://en.rian.ru" title="RIA Novosti">Other news of the day</a></div></div></div>

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Sharapova beats Kim Clijsters in Australian Open semis

10:08 25/01/2007 Russia's Maria Sharapova gained a comfortable victory over Belgium's Kim Clijsters in the semi-final of the Australian Open Thursday, winning 6-4 6-2. >>

Other news of the day