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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Sharapova maintains winning run | Sharapova maintains winning run |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Maria Sharapova thrashed her Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-4 at the WTA Championships in Madrid to claim a 19th straight win. | Maria Sharapova thrashed her Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-4 at the WTA Championships in Madrid to claim a 19th straight win. |
| The world number two will now play Justine Henin-Hardenne in the first of Saturday's semi-finals. | The world number two will now play Justine Henin-Hardenne in the first of Saturday's semi-finals. |
| The third-ranked Henin-Hardenne lost to world number one Amelie Mauresmo earlier on Friday. | The third-ranked Henin-Hardenne lost to world number one Amelie Mauresmo earlier on Friday. |
| Mauresmo fought back from a set down to win 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 and will meet Kim Clijsters in the second semi-final. | Mauresmo fought back from a set down to win 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 and will meet Kim Clijsters in the second semi-final. |
| Clijsters, the 2002 and 2003 champion, routed Elena Dementieva 6-4 6-0 in the final match of the group stages. | Clijsters, the 2002 and 2003 champion, routed Elena Dementieva 6-4 6-0 in the final match of the group stages. |
| Yellow Group standings 1. Mauresmo W2 L1 F4 A42. Henin W2 L1 F 5 A33. Hingis W1 L2 F4 A54. Petrova W1 L2 F3 A4 | |
| Mauresmo, the defending champion, finished above Henin-Hardenne in the yellow group. | |
| "I'm very happy I hung in there to get to the semis, even with the bad start I had," said Mauresmo, the Australian and Wimbledon champion. | "I'm very happy I hung in there to get to the semis, even with the bad start I had," said Mauresmo, the Australian and Wimbledon champion. |
| Martina Hingis finished third in the group and Nadia Petrova last after both recorded a win and two losses. | Martina Hingis finished third in the group and Nadia Petrova last after both recorded a win and two losses. |
| Mauresmo's win will come as some consolation for the disappointment of losing the number one spot which will be taken by either Henin-Hardenne or Sharapova when the year-end rankings are released next week. | Mauresmo's win will come as some consolation for the disappointment of losing the number one spot which will be taken by either Henin-Hardenne or Sharapova when the year-end rankings are released next week. |
| Red Group standings 1. Sharapova W3 L0 F6 A02. Clijsters W2 L1 F4 A23. Kuznetsova W1 L2 F2 A44. Dementieva W0 L3 F0 A6 | |
| French Open champion Henin-Hardenne, who returned to action this week after two months out because of a calf injury, will clinch the top ranking if she reaches Sunday's final. | |
| Sharapova, the US Open champion, is in the form of her life and had far too much for Kuznetsova in their red group encounter. | Sharapova, the US Open champion, is in the form of her life and had far too much for Kuznetsova in their red group encounter. |
| "It was really good to start so well," said Sharapova. "You can't fool around at the beginning of matches and you have to be strong from the beginning of the match." | |
| The 19-year-old Sharapova must win the title and Henin-Hardenne, who reached the final of every Grand Slam event this season, lose in the semis for her to secure her first year-end top ranking. | The 19-year-old Sharapova must win the title and Henin-Hardenne, who reached the final of every Grand Slam event this season, lose in the semis for her to secure her first year-end top ranking. |
| 606 DEBATE: Who will win in Madrid? | 606 DEBATE: Who will win in Madrid? |
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