Maria Sharapova was given a French Open pounding by former champion Justine Henin-Hardenne on Tuesday, ending the Russian's hopes of taking over the world number one spot.
The Wimbledon champion and second seed had no answer to the Belgian's weight of shot as an inspired Henin-Hardenne reached the semi-finals of the claycourt Grand Slam 6-4, 6-2.
"It went well, I am reaching a crescendo in the tournament," Henin-Hardenne, the 2003 champion, said.
"The most important thing is to win matches without playing your best tennis... I did that."
The former world number one, conqueror of U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round, faces her third consecutive Russian for a place in Saturday's final after Nadia Petrova stopped the surprise run of 17-year-old Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-2.
"The important thing is not to think the hard work has been done," Henin-Hardenne said. The 10th seed had won all three of her claycourt warm-up tournaments and victory over Sharapova was her 22nd straight win on the surface.
In the top half of the draw Elena Likhovtseva, another Russian, beat Bulgarian 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva 2-6 6-4, 6-4. She will next face either top seed Lindsay Davenport or France's 2000 champion Mary Pierce.
"BIG SHOT"
Likhovtseva will be eyeing Henin-Hardenne warily -- the Belgian has beaten Russians in the finals of her last three tournaments, most recently Petrova in Berlin where she also beat Sharapova, squaring their head-to-head record 1-1.
Sharapova, who is chasing Davenport for the world number one ranking, received more than 110,000 euros ($135,600) for her efforts but knew she had finished second best.
"You hit a big shot and she can come up with a heavier shot, with a tougher shot, closer to the line," the Russian said. "She made great drop shots at very important points and that just comes with confidence, having played a lot of matches.
"She's on a big winning streak. I think that is giving her more and more confidence."
Sharapova now heads for greener pastures to tune her grasscourt game as she prepares to defend her Wimbledon crown next month.
"I don't have any pressure at all," she said. "I'm gonna have so many great memories again... to be back on grass and playing where I feel really, really comfortable."
Petrova was never worried by 17-year-old Ivanovic who was making her French Open debut.
The Serb had won her share of the limelight on the Paris clay, notably with a third-round defeat of local favourite Amelie Mauresmo, but was never in contention on Tuesday.
Likhovtseva made heavy weather of Karatantcheva before booking her first Grand Slam semi-final place in 46 attempts.
"I was nervous... I was nervous," she smiled.
The 29-year-old resorted to slow, looped groundstrokes to keep the ball in play against an opponent almost half her age.
"I know it was ugly but, you know, I still won the match," she laughed.
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