MIAMI, Del., March 31 (UPI) -- Maria Sharapova defeated Venus Williams in straight sets Thursday to earn a spot in the championship match of the NASDAQ-100 Open.
Sharapova needed 77 minutes to defeat Williams, 6-4, 6-3.
The defending Wimbledon champ will meet Kil Clijsters in Saturday's title match, where $400,000 will go to the winner. Clijsters overwhelmed top seed Amelie Mauresmo in Thursday's other semifinal, 6-1, 6-0.
In the men's bracket, world No. 1 Roger Federer ousted Tim Henman to reach the semifinals.
Federer scored a 6-4, 6-2 victory while allowing Henman just one break opportunity that he failed to convert.
Andre Agassi defeated Taylor Dent, 7-5, 6-0, earning the right to challenge Federer.
Federer has lost just once in his last 47 matches and who has seven titles in that span.
The other men's semifinal has already been set between Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer.
Sharapova and Williams were at 4-4 in the first set when the Russian ran off five straight games to claim take control of the match.
Sharapova salvaged six break-point chances against her in the final game of the match.
