Tennis

Sharapova and Ivanovic reach Brisbane final

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Russia's Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia won their semi-finals at the Brisbane International on Friday to set up a highly-anticipated showdown in the lead-up to this month's Australian Open.

Sharapova beat the talented Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-3 to reach the final without dropping a set while Ivanovic battled her way to a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory over American Varvara Lepchenko.

Sharapova beat Ivanovic in the 2008 Australian Open final and both women are in devastating form heading towards the first Grand Slam of the season, starting in Melbourne on January 19.

Sharapova has dropped just nine games in her three matches to get to the final and showed no mercy against Svitolina, a rising star who won the 2010 junior French Open, as she reached her 56th WTA final.

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