Sharapova Eases Into Wimbledon Final Four

Russian Maria Sharapova saw off her compatriot Elena Dementieva in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the women's singles at the Wimbledon Tennis Championship here on Tuesday.
The 2004 champion, who had survived a tough fourth round battle against Flavia Pennetta, offered her seventh-seeded opponent few chances in a 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Sharapova was quickly into the action, seemingly picking up where she left off in her recent thrashing of Dementieva in Indian Wells, breaking at the first opportunity to establish an immediate 3-0 lead.
Dementieva, on the other hand, had difficulty with her own serve, an aspect of her game which she has tried to rectify by turning to Richard Krajicek for coaching, but under pressure inevitably reverted to type.
Despite two double faults, she held for 1-3 only to be hammered in the next as Sharapova blasted four deliveries to hold to love.
The 24-year-old Dementieva, playing her eighth Wimbledon, kept trying hard and improved enough in the second set to hold four of her service games and force two break point opportunities. But it was nowhere near enough to make a real impression on her opponent.