INDIAN WELLS, Calif., March 20 (UPI) -- Russian star Maria Sharapova dispatched No. 5 seed Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 Wednesday to reach the semifinals of the $2.1 million Pacific Life Open.
Sharapova, the fourth-seeded Australian Open champion, will meet No. 2 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semifinals. Kuznetsova eliminated No. 10 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-2, 6-4 in her quarterfinal contest.
Sharapova, who won this tourney two years ago, is 18-0 this year. Kuznetsova was the 2007 U.S. Open runner-up and had lost to Hantuchova, a two-time champion here, in last year's Indian Wells final.
The other quarterfinals will be Thursday, with top-seeded Aussie Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic going against 12th-seeded Vera Zvonareva, and third-seeded Jelena Jankovic facing 24th-seeded California native Lindsay Davenport, a two-time Indian Wells champion and four-time runner-up.
Whoever wins the event will collect $332,000.
