Maria Sharapova will bid for her first title of the season after claiming a roller-coaster victory over Caroline Wozniacki, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday for a place in the final of the Miami Masters.
Sharapova has placed into her fourth final at Miami, but has never lifted the trophy. The 24-year-old Russian took more than two hours to claim her struggling victory, ending with 50 winners and 46 unforced errors as she went for shots against her opponent.
“I just kept fighting and just kept playing for every point,” said Wozniacki. “Maria started off really well and played aggressively.
She played some good tennis out there. “I tried to do my best, and it just wasn’t enough today. I was very close. This is tennis — one time you win; one time you lose.”
Sharapova broke on six of 16 occasions in a match, where she began by winning four of the first five games, only to see Wozniacki fight back to claim the last five and win the first set.
The Russian rallied in the second to square it but almost gave away a 5-2 lead in the third.
Sharapova failed to serve out victory in the eighth game but came good on her next opportunity. Wozniacki saved a first match point as Sharapova netted a backhand two games later.
The match was decided on a controversial call, with a Sharapova serve called out by the linesman but overruled from the chair. With Wozniacki out for challenges, the call — replays showed the serve was good — stood to ensure victory.
“I started off so well but I had a concentration drop,” said Sharapova. “She started playing much better. I was just happy to get to the third set today.
“Being aggressive was really the key, she’s a great mover and she can keep you out there for a many hours. “We both fought hard for more than two hours. I didn’t want the match to end this way, but I’m glad to get to the final.”
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