Tokyo, Japan (My Sportsbook) - Former world No. 1s Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova secured berths in Friday's semifinals at the $2 million Pan Pacific Open. The seventh-seeded Jankovic handled 14th-seeded former Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli, of France, 6-4, 6-3, while the unseeded 2005 Pan Pacific Open titlist Sharapova bounced Czech Iveta Benesova 6-4, 7-5 on the hardcourts at Ariake Colosseum. Jankovic beat Bartoli for the first time in three matches this year. "When my thoughts are on the court, I play at another level," Jankovic said. "That wasn't the case in previous matches. Today, I controlled the match and didn't let her play her game." Jankovic's semifinal opponent will be 15th-seeded Chinese Li Na, while the three-time major champion Sharapova will encounter 11th-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska. Li upset eighth-seeded Belarusian star Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), while Radwanska doused Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday. This week's titlist will take home $350,000. |
