Maria Sharapova fought back to oust China’s Li Na 2-6 7-6(5) 6-3 and claim a place in the last four of the Madrid Open on Friday as top seed and defending champion Serena Williams withdrew with a thigh problem.
Russian Sharapova, the eighth seed, showed all her qualities on the clay at the futuristic Magic Box arena to edge world number two Li and set up a semi-final clash with third-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska.
“The match was very close, I think it really could have gone her way today,” said Sharapova,
