BEIJING, Sept 24: World number one Maria Sharapova retired injured during her China Open semifinal against fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko on Saturday, completing a miserable week for tournament organisers. Sharapova was trailing 6-4 2-1 when she stopped because of a pectoral injury, gifting her friend Kirilenko a place in her second WTA Tour final.

Kirilenko will meet ninth seed Anna-Lena Groenefeld in Sunday’s final after the German beat Poland’s Marta Domachowska 7-5 6-3.

Sharapova’s exit was the latest blow for the tournament which had already lost three it’s top four seeds.

Lindsay Davenport withdrew after winning in Bali last weekend, title holder Serena Williams suffered a shock defeat in her opening match and Wimbledon champion Venus Williams pulled out with a knee injury before her quarter-final.

“I didn’t see that she had a problem. It was a surprise for me when she called for the trainer,” said Kirilenko, who lost her first final in Hyderabad last year.

“I was 17 when I played my first final and very nervous. Tomorrow I won’t be afraid.”

Sharapova had won titles in Tokyo, Doha and Birmingham this year and was favourite for an 11th career title after the demise of Venus and Serena Williams but she was under pressure from the start against Kirilenko.

Kirilenko took the first set after 44 minutes with a pummelling forehand and the world number 45 quickly broke Sharapova at the start of the second.

Sharapova’s injury was a repeat of the right pectoral muscle strain that forced her out of last month’s Los Angeles Open.

Groenefeld, who has played doubles with Martina Navratilova this year, dominated against Domachowska to reach the second final of her career.

The 20-year-old from Nordhorn reached her first singles final in Pattaya in February but lost to Spain’s Conchita Martinez.

Groenefeld reached the women’s doubles semifinals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open with Navratilova this year.

Results: Maria Kirilenko bt Maria Sharapova 6-4 2-1 (Sharapova retired); Anna-Lena Groenefeld bt Marta Domachowska) 7-5 6-3

Kolkata Open

Results from the Kolkata Open women’s singles semifinal matches on Saturday.

Anastasia Myskina (Russia) bt Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-3 6-1; Karolina Sprem (Croatia) bt Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 4-6 6-4 6-1.—Agencies