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Posted at 3:37 p.m., Friday, November 9, 2007

Tennis: Sharapova advances in season-ending event

By Paul Logothetis
Associated Press

MADRID, Spain — Maria Sharapova routed Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-2 today at the Sony Ericsson Championships and avoided a semifinal matchup with defending champion Justine Henin.

Ivanovic will face Henin on Saturday at the WTA's season-ending championships, and Sharapova will play fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

"I don't have to worry about who I play against," Sharapova said. "If I play like today, I'll be fine."

Earlier, Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli, the mid-tournament replacement for injured Serena Williams, beat Jelena Jankovic when the Serb retired in the second set because of a virus.

Daniela Hantuchova defeated second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (7), 6-0 to complete the group play.

Sharapova broke Ivanovic to open their match and never relented, keeping her opponent on the run with an array of crosscourt winners. She has been troubled by a shoulder problem, and this was the first time since mind-August she had won three straight matches.

Sharapova didn't face a break point. Ivanovic, a first-time qualifier, had only eight winners to Sharapova's 22.

"We're both really big competitors and we both wanted to win this match and I don't like losing to the same player twice in a row," said Sharapova, who lost to the Serb in the semifinals at Roland Garros. "I really wanted to get my revenge whether this match counted or not."

Sharapova, who won the title in 2004, and Chakvetadze will meet for the fourth time this year. Sharapova leads 5-0 overall.

Ivanovic and Henin last met in the French Open final. Henin leads their matchups 2-0.