Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova ended Japan's challenge at the Pan Pacific Open on Saturday, downing local hope Shinobu Asagoe to set up a final with world number one Lindsay Davenport. The Russian second seed, who captured her first WTA singles and doubles titles at the Japan Open two years ago here, faced a late challenge from the 32nd-ranked Japanese before scoring a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) win.
Davenport, seeking her third straight and fifth Tokyo title here, meanwhile avenged her loss to Svetlana Kuznetsova in last year's US Open semi-finals by beating the Russian 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
"I'm still happy to be in the final, to be back to Tokyo again, it's where I won my first WTA tour titles, it brings back really good memories," said Sharapova. "I'm just so happy to be in the final. I'll just play my best and give it all I have to win."
The 17-year-old Russian starlet got off to a flying start as Asagoe struggled to hold her serve, double-faulting twice on a break point in the second and sixth games.
But Asagoe came back into the match by breaking Sharapova to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, only to see herself again double-faulting on Sharapova's advantage point in the following game to surrender the lead.
Although Sharapova often mis-fired her hard-hit strokes, she never gave Asagoe another chance for the remainder of the match, finishing off the 82-minute contest when Asagoe hit a return long.
"We had a really good match today. Both fought to the end. She (Asagoe) is a great fighter, points were so good. I think she has a great future ahead of her," said Sharapova.
Top seed Spadea wins
DELRAY BEACH: First seed Vincent Spadea stumbled in the middle set before regrouping to defeat fellow American Kevin Kim and advance to the semi-finals of the 380,000 dollar Millennium International tennis tournament.
In his second straight three-set match, Spadea got past Kim, 7-5, 6-7 (0/7), 6-4, in the quarter-final.
A finalist here last year, Spadea also needed three sets to get past 19-year-old Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili in the second round. He awaits the winner of the match between third seed Xavier Malisse of Belgium and Paraguay's Ramon Delgado.
Spadea lost to Brazilian Ricardo Mello here in the 2004 final.
He went on to capture his first ATP Tour title at Scottsdale in March and ended the year ranked a career-high 19th.
Kim had won twice at the Australian Open, pushing his ranking to a career-best 71st.
South Africa's Wesley Moodie, known as a doubles specialist, reached the semi-finals Friday afternoon when Peter Wessels of the Netherlands retired with a back injury trailing 5-0.
The 25-year-old Moodie was just 9-17 last season. In the semi-finals, he will face second seed Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, who posted a 6-3, 7-5 victory over seventh seed Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark.
Mello was upset in the second round. First prize is 52,000 dollars.
(QUARTER-FINALS): Vincent Spadea (USA x1) bt Kevin Kim (USA x8), 7-5, 6-7 (0/7), 6-4; Jiri Novak (CZE x2) bt Kenneth Carlsen (DEN x7) 6-3, 7-5; Wesley Moodie (RSA) bt Peter Wessels (NED) 5-0, retired.