Russian Maria Sharapova [Images] produced a blistering performance to overpower world number one Justine Henin [Images] 6-4 6-0 in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The fifth seed was in ebullient mood, smashing 30 winners as she took a tight first set and ripped through the second to line up a semi-final against Serbian third seed Jelena Jankovic.
Serena shocked
Sharapova, runner-up in Melbourne last year, had lost six of her eight meetings with top seed Henin but came out firing on all cylinders and stormed into a 5-2 lead.
Henin saved two set points as Sharapova was broken when serving for the set but the Russian broke again to win it and left the Belgian helpless in the second to reach the last four for the fourth successive year.
It was Henin's first defeat since last year's Wimbledon, ending a winning streak of 32 matches, and the first time she has lost a set 6-0 since 2002.
Maria in Melbourne:
2003: Round 1
2004: Round 3
2005: SF
2006: SF
2007: Final
2008: SF*
Overall record: 23-5
* Maria Sharapova will play Jelena Jankovic in the semi-final on Thursday
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