Kuznetsova advances to China Open Final
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-25 21:42

U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova stormed into the China Open final Saturday with a masterful 6-2, 6-2 victory over Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova.

U.S. Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, returns the ball during her semi-final match against fellow Russian Maria Sharapova at the China Open in Beijing Saturday, Sept 25, 2004. Kuznetsova won 6-2, 6-2. [AP]

Sharapova, the No. 3 seed, got off to a quick 2-0 lead after breaking fellow Russian Kuznetsova's serve in the first game. But the second-seeded Kuznetsova promptly answered back, winning the next six games to take the set — plus the first game of the second set.

She demolished Sharapova's serve with blistering returns that painted the corners of the court. The match was over in 64 minutes.

"Going in, I expected it to be tight," Kuznetsova said, adding she was determined "not to give her any balls to hit."

"When I had my chances, I used it."

"She was hitting freely," Sharapova said of her opponent. "Any part of the court, she had a hard deep shot."

"When somebody plays with so much confidence, there's not much you can do," Sharapova said, pointing to Kuznetsova's recent wins at the U.S. Open and in Bali last week.

"Even though I won Wimbledon, there's a lot of things I have to work on," Sharapova said, citing her fitness and her net game. "I'm only 17 and I have a lot of years ahead of me."

Kuznetsova had complained earlier in the tournament about the speed of the center court surface at the Beijing Tennis Center — specifically after her tight three-set win over Chinese qualifier Li Na in the second round.

But she played that surface brilliantly on Saturday, muscling in thundering strokes that skimmed the court.

Sharapova looked off-balance by comparison. She hadn't faced a strong challenge before Saturday — receiving a first-round bye, winning a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Tatiana Panova in the second round, and advancing to the semifinal when quarterfinal opponent Jelena Jankovic retired because of injury.

Kuznetsova will face either top seed Serena Williams or fourth-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the final. Williams and Zvonareva were to play later Saturday at the $585,000 tournament.

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