TIANJIN (AFP)–Maria Sharapova equalled her best performance since returning from a doping suspension when she reached the Tianjin Open semi-finals on Friday.
The Russian easily defeated Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-1 in 64 minutes. The former world number one will face either China’s Peng Shuai or Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last four.
Sharapova returned from a 15-month suspension in April for taking the banned substance meldonium.
In her first tournament back, in Stuttgart, she made it to the semi-finals but has been unable to repeat that feat again, until now.
The 30-year-old, ranked 86 in the world, was granted a wildcard for Tianjin because her ranking was too low.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai, China, Marin Cilic became the first man to reach the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday when he brushed aside Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
The Croatian world number five beat the unseeded Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4 and will face world number one Rafael Nadal or Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday.
Cilic, bidding to reach the season-ending ATP Finals in London, grabbed the critical break in the sixth game of the first set on his way to a comprehensive victory.