French Open and Wimbledon champions Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova will battle for the China Open title after they both powered through their semi-final matches Saturday. Meanwhile, world number one Novak Djokovic continued his brilliant 100 percent record in Beijing, overpowering Andy Murray to set up a men's final against Tomas Berdych.
Kvitova remains on course for a second consecutive women's title in China after she defeated Samantha Stosur 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in her match. The world number three appears to have taken to Beijing the form she showed winning the Wuhan Open last Saturday. But the Czech player's victory came after she survived a scare against Stosur, with the Australian taking the second set as she broke serve in the final game.
The 2011 US Open winner and former world number four appeared to be capitalising on a lack of rhythm in Kvitova's play after the game was halted because of rain, meaning the court had to be dried and the roof closed. But the third seed in Beijing fought back in the third set, saving three break points in the second game before breaking in the fifth and seventh to make her first final in Beijing.
"You know, when we had the 30 minute break, it's difficult," Kvitova said. Sharapova stormed through the first set in her match with Ana Ivanovic, before the Serbian world number nine staged a brave fightback which culminated in a dramatic final game. The pair traded breaks in the first two games of the second set, before Ivanovic lost serve again, giving Sharapova a 5-4 advantage as she served for the match. Both players were then locked in a tussle, which saw four break points for Ivanovic and an equal number of match points for Sharapova.
But the Russian fourth seed in Beijing came through the battle of nerves and sealed a 6-0, 6-4 victory in just under 90 minutes. Ivanovic said she did not play at her usual standard during the game. In the men's competition, it was another ruthless serving display from Djokovic, the top seed in Beijing, who overcame a brief fightback from Murray midway through the second set to claim a 6-3, 6-4 win. Djokovic broke serve in the eighth game, taking advantage of some risky groundstrokes by Murray, to take the opening set.