<p>The Russian will play Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the final after the seventh seed overpowered China's Li Na 6-4, 6-3 in the day's first semifinal at the $2 million Tokyo event. <br /><br />Sharapova, 25th in the world and chasing her first title since shoulder surgery last October, took the first set with a backhand bomb off a weak Radwanska second serve. <br /><br />The Russian lost her way in the second, double-faulting to hand Radwanska a 5-2 lead, the 11th seed quickly closing out the set with a huge serve down the centre line. <br /><br />Sharapova had to dig herself out of a hole at 0-2 in the decider as she summoned the experience that brought her three grand slam titles between 2004 and 2008. <br />Shrieking louder and louder as the ferocity of her groundstrokes increased, Sharapova forged ahead 5-3 by smashing a forehand down the line, celebrating with a fist pump and a yell of "Come on!" <br /><br />The 2005 Tokyo champion squandered two match points on her serve in the next game but sealed victory at the fourth attempt by ripping a blistering backhand return cross court. <br /><br />Tsonga recovers<br /><br />Top seed and holder Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced to the semifinals of the Thailand Open after a testing 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over unseeded Swiss Marco Chiudinelli on Friday. <br /><br />The French world number seven recovered after losing a first-set tiebreak to plot his course for the semis, where he will meet Viktor Troicki or John Isner. <br /><br />Second seed Gilles Simon advanced in the $608,500 tournament after fighting the pain barrier to record a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over hard-hitting Russian Evgeny Korolev.</p>
<p>The Russian will play Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the final after the seventh seed overpowered China's Li Na 6-4, 6-3 in the day's first semifinal at the $2 million Tokyo event. <br /><br />Sharapova, 25th in the world and chasing her first title since shoulder surgery last October, took the first set with a backhand bomb off a weak Radwanska second serve. <br /><br />The Russian lost her way in the second, double-faulting to hand Radwanska a 5-2 lead, the 11th seed quickly closing out the set with a huge serve down the centre line. <br /><br />Sharapova had to dig herself out of a hole at 0-2 in the decider as she summoned the experience that brought her three grand slam titles between 2004 and 2008. <br />Shrieking louder and louder as the ferocity of her groundstrokes increased, Sharapova forged ahead 5-3 by smashing a forehand down the line, celebrating with a fist pump and a yell of "Come on!" <br /><br />The 2005 Tokyo champion squandered two match points on her serve in the next game but sealed victory at the fourth attempt by ripping a blistering backhand return cross court. <br /><br />Tsonga recovers<br /><br />Top seed and holder Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced to the semifinals of the Thailand Open after a testing 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over unseeded Swiss Marco Chiudinelli on Friday. <br /><br />The French world number seven recovered after losing a first-set tiebreak to plot his course for the semis, where he will meet Viktor Troicki or John Isner. <br /><br />Second seed Gilles Simon advanced in the $608,500 tournament after fighting the pain barrier to record a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over hard-hitting Russian Evgeny Korolev.</p>
