Sharapova reaches semis in Australian Open
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-24 15:25

"We've had such tough matches and I've been able to pull through three in a row — it's a confidence boost," Sharapova said.

On the men's side, Masters Cup champion David Nalbandian reached the semifinals — completing a full set at the majors — when he overwhelmed veteran Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 7-5, 6-0, 6-0.

The fourth-seeded Nalbandian was down a break in the 51-minute first set, but recovered to get back on serve before reeling off 14 consecutive games to close in 1 hour, 41 minutes.

Santoro, 33 and playing in the quarterfinals for the first time in 54 majors, was 13-0 when he got his first serve into play at the start.

He won 34 points in the first set, but won 16 in the next two.

Santoro had Nalbandian sprinting from side to side, net to baseline, chasing drop shots, volleys and lobs until the 24-year-old Argentine got his ground strokes working and started passing him on both sides.

"In the beginning it was very tough, windy," said Nalbandian. "Also, Fabrice has a very special game. It's not easy to come and hit winners from the first point.

"In the first set I was a bit nervous — when I got a bit of confidence, I started hitting harder and better, with angles near to the line."

Nalbandian clinched it with a backhand service return, his 47th winner of the match.

He will play the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 7 Ivan Ljubicic and unseeded Marcos Baghdatis, who upset second-seeded Andy Roddick in the fourth round.

Santoro and Nalbandian exchanged service breaks before Santoro, serving to stay in the set at 6-5, was broken. At 0-30, the Frenchman had a rare ace but on his next point hit a backhand wide before Nalbandian blasted a forehand to the opposite corner to take the set, shouting "Si.'

From 5-5 in the first, Santoro never had a game point.

By making the semifinals at Melbourne Park, Nalbandian has reached the round at all four Grand Slams. He lost the Wimbledon final in 2002 to Lleyton Hewitt.

Nalbandian, who lost in the quarterfinals in the previous three Australian Opens, said his upset win over top-ranked Roger Federer in the season-ending Masters Cup at Shanghai in November had increased his confidence.

"I'm in semis this year, and I hope to win it," said Nalbandian, the highest ranked player on the bottom half the draw.