ISTANBUL, Turkey, May 24 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Maria Sharapova was pushed to a third set Thursday but still advanced to the semifinals of the $200,000 Istanbul Cup tennis tournament.
Sharapova took the opening set against seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska but dropped the second. That seemed to get her attention and Sharapova ran through the final set without dropping a game. The final scores in Sharapova's win were, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.
She will face Aravane Rezai in the tournament semifinals Friday. Rezai, who upset Venus Williams Wednesday, stayed hot with a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Meghann Shaughnessy.
The other semifinal pits No. 2-seeded Elena Dementieva against Alona Bondarenko. Dementieva needed to rally for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Catalina Castano in her quarterfinal. Bondarenko advanced when Patty Schnyder withdrew because of a leg injury.
