09 October 2004	Saturday	23 Shaban 1425

TOKYO, Oct 8: Defending champion Maria Sharapova cruised into the Japan Open tennis women's singles final on Friday while world number three Lleyton Hewitt booked his place in the men's semis.

Thai star Paradorn Srichapan, however, failed to improve on his dismal record against Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, crashing out 6-4, 6-4 in their quarter final.

Sharapova, the 17-year-old Wimbledon champion from Russia who is defending a title for the first time, was broken in the first game by Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn but recovered to win 6-2, 6-3.

Sharapova will face Mashona Washington in Saturday's final after the American beat Czech seventh seed Klara Koukalova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Hewitt came through a tough first set against Cyril Saulnier before overpowering the French ninth seed to win 7-5, 6-1.

Tamarine's defeat to Sharapova added to a disappointing day for Thailand as Paradorn fell to Novak, against whom he has won only one set in three meetings. Paradorn said he was tired after rain delays forced him to play both his second and third round matches on Thursday.

Paradorn, the top-ranked Asian player, never recovered after letting slip two break points in the fourth game of the first set. A spirited Novak, ranked 28th against Paradorn's 21st, broke the Thai's serve at 4-4 before converting another to make it 3-2 in the second set, eventually running out a 6-4, 6-4 winner.

RESULTS (PREFIX NUMBER DENOTES SEEDING):

MEN

Quarterfinals: 1-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat 9-Cyril Saulnier (France) 7-5 6-1; 7-Taylor Dent (U.S.) beat 16-Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) 6-4 4-6 6-2; 5-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) beat 4-Paradorn Srichaphan 6-4 6-4; Bohdan Ulihrach (Czech Republic) beat Bjorn Phau (Germany) 7-5 6-4

WOMEN

Semifinals: 1-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) 6-2 6-3; Mashona Washington (U.S.) beat 7-Klara Koukalova (Czech Republic) 3-6 7-5 6-2.

WTA RESULTS

FILDERSTADT: Results from the fifth day of the US$650,000 WTA event on Friday:

Quarterfinals: Amelie Mauresmo bt Lisa Raymond 6-4, 6-1; Lindsay Davenport bt Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 6-3. -Agencies