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Indian Wells, California (dpa) - Maria Sharapova defeated Martina Hingis for the second time in three 2006 meetings Friday to reach the final of the 5.29-million-dollar Indian Wells Masters.
Sharapova, who stopped the Swiss comeback queen 6-3, 6-3, also won their last meeting three weeks ago in the Dubai quarter-finals. She lost seven weeks ago in Tokyo to the former world number 1, who returned to the game after a three-year retirement.
Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, meets top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne or Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva in Saturday's final.
The match was riddled with nine breaks of serve, with Sharapova proving to be a match for the crafty all-court game of the 32nd- ranked Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam champion whose love for the sport drew her back at the start of the year.
"The score didn't show anything today," said 18-year-old world number 5 Sharapova. "It was very mentally and physically challenging.
"We were playing for everything on every point. It was a quality match."
Sharapova took a 5-1 lead in the opening set through two breaks, but lost her own serve once before claiming the set. The pattern was repeated in the second with three breaks in a row before Sharapova held for 4-1.
Hingis broke back in the seventh game, with her Russian opponent taking treatment on her left foot before a final break to seal the win.
"She tried to mix it up a lot at the end," Sharapova said. "I knew this would be very demanding. "I was telling myself that I didn't' car how many balls it took I was going to hang in. With every error she made, I was more and more surprised. I won the match mentally." Sharapova said she would prefer to play Henin-Hardenne, the 2004 champion, for the trophy.
"I'm excited to be in the final, I lost my last two to Justine and you don't want to lose again.
"I know it will take a few more years, but I hope to be able to beat top players day after day after day in the next few years."
Hingis, the winner in 1998 in her debut as a teenager, now stands 25-5 at the tournament.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
