Maria Sharapova powered into her fifth semi-final in as many events this season with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Russian rival Anastasia Myskina at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Wednesday.
The fourth seed will play Moscow-born Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin, who ended the run of China's Zheng Jie with a scrappy 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory in the quarters.
Men's sixth seed Ivan Ljubicic had an easier outing after he produced 34 winners to sweep past Argentine Agustin Calleri 7-6, 6-3 and into the semis. The win kept the Croatian second behind Roger Federer in match victories this season. While the world number one boasts a 25-1 record in 2006, Ljubicic stands at 24-3.
Sharapova's triumph in the battle of former grand slam winners put her within two more victories of a second consecutive title after winning in Indian Wells less than a fortnight ago.
"I played a clean match," Sharapova told reporters. "I made a lot of errors in my first two matches and knew I had to be patient since she gets a lot of balls back.
"I look forward to improving in the semis and will hope for the best."
The 18-year-old, runner-up here to Kim Clijsters last year, held her nerve after losing three of four times against Myskina in 2004.
WORK CUT OUT
Five of the nine games in the second set were breaks of serve as momentum shifted back and forth. Sharapova finished the winner on Myskina's forehand wide.
Sharapova has beaten fellow teenager Golovin both times they have met.
Golovin needed more than two hours to claim victory on Jie's fourth double fault. Jie had been the first Chinese woman reach the last eight at Miami.
The match was plagued by 27 break points as holding serve became a chore. Golovin converted eight of her 14 chances, while Jie was successful on six of 13.
With Golovin yet to beat Sharapova, the Frenchwoman knows she will have her work cut out.
"It is good to get to the semi-final," Golovin told reporters. "It will be a different situation and atmosphere.
"I want to go out and play my best, I have nothing to lose."
Golovin struck 25 winners and was helped by 45 unforced errors from Jie.
Ljubicic produced 34 winners to sweep past Calleri.
"Finally, I'm happy with how I played, Ljubicic told reporters. "I served amazingly and dominated my service games.
"I'm number two in points earned this year, I feel like number two in the world."
Ljubicic broke once per set to notch up his fourth successive win over the 65th-ranked Calleri.
Ljubicic's fellow Croat Mario Ancic was also facing an Argentine, third seed David Nalbandian, for a place in the semis later on Wednesday.
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