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Paris - Maria Sharapova returned to the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in more than three years, beating Andrea Petkovic 6-0, 6-3 on Wednesday at the French Open.
The three-time major champion, who could complete a career Grand Slam with a title at Roland Garros, last reached this stage when she won the 2008 Australian Open.
Sharapova had little trouble against Petkovic, a German who also lost in the Australian Open quarter-finals. Sharapova won the opening eight games and then overcame two breaks to take the second set.
Sharapova will next face China's Li Na, who ousted fourth-seeded Victoia Azarenka in their quarter-final.
Later, five-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal will play two-time finalist Robin Soderling in the quarter-finals and Andy Murray is set to face Juan Ignacio Chela.
Sharapova improved her Grand Slam quarter-final record to 11-3 by beating Petkovic. All three of her losses came at Roland Garros.
The one time she previously reached the semi-finals in Paris, she lost to runner-up Ana Ivanovic in 2007.
Besides the Australian Open title, the seventh-seeded Russian also won Wimbledon in 2004 and the U.S. Open in 2006. With a title at Roland Garros, Sharapova could become the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam.
"It was tougher than the scoreline suggests. There were a lot of games that could have gone either way. I played really smart on the important points," said Sharapova.
"There is no doubt I have improved on this surface. As the years have gone on I feel I have got better and better.
"I feel physically I have overcome many challenges that maybe a few years ago would have been tough for me."
