Last-gasp win puts Sharapova in fourth final

At 40-30 in the last game,Sharapova hit a second serve that the linesman called long,which would have been a double-fault,but umpire Kader Nouni reversed the ruling and ordered the point replayed

A disputed line call on match point meant Maria Sharapovas win over Caroline Wozniacki in the Sony Ericsson Open semifinals on Thursday ended in ill feeling. Sharapova won the disputed final point after an overrule by the umpire,edging Wozniacki 4-6 6-2 6-4.

At 40-30 in the last game,Sharapova hit a second serve that the linesman called long,which would have been a double-fault,but umpire Kader Nouni reversed the ruling and ordered the point replayed. The call couldnt be reviewed because Wozniacki had no challenges left,although TV replays showed Nouni was correct. Sharapova was awarded two serves and took advantage with a big first serve to set up an overhead slam for the victory. You dont want it to end that way, Sharapova said.

Wozniacki,angry about the overrule,declined to shake Nounis hand and had words with him as she walked to the exit. It was a pretty crucial point, she said. When the ball is so close,he should give her a chance to challenge,at least when I dont have any challenges.

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Sharapova said she didnt realise Wozniacki had no challenges left,and added she would have challenged the call herself had it not been overruled. Its a tough situation to be in, Sharapova said,because its so close to the end of the match,and both of us had fought so hard for over two hours.

Djokovic in semis

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic advanced to the mens semifinals without argument,beating No. 5 David Ferrer 6-2 7-6 (1). Djokovic lost a remarkable 40-shot rally but played a nearly flawless tiebreaker to seal the victory.

Djokovic seeks his third Key Biscayne title and second in a row. His opponent on Friday will be No. 21 Juan Monaco,who advanced on his 28th birthday by eliminating No. 8 Mardy Fish. The scrappy Monaco dominated from the baseline and hit only eight second serves during the 6-1 6-3 victory.

A new champion

With the departure of defending champion Victoria Azarenka,the tournament is guaranteed a first-time womens winner. Sharapovas opponent on Saturday will be Agnieszka Radwanska,who breezed past Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-2. Radwanskas progress toward her first Key Biscayne final was interrupted briefly in the second set by a power outage for 20 minutes. Bartoli hurt her left thigh in the early going and limped through the rest of the match.

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Sharapova improved to 4-0 in Key Biscayne semifinals. Shes 0-3 in final though. She will play her second successive final and third this year,after the Australian Open and Indian Wells.

Paes-Stepanek in final

An Indian showdown was shattered after Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna crashed out in the semifinals even as Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek advanced to the final. Paes and Stepanek,who are yet to drop a set so far,upset top seeds Mike and Bob Bryan 6-4 6-4. Bhupathi-Bopanna went down 2-6 4-6 to Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor.