By Tennis Now | Saturday, October 14, 2017
Maria Sharapova pounded Peng Shuai 6-3, 6-1, charging into her first WTA final since she won the 2015 Rome title.
Photo credit: Tianjin Open
Maria Sharapova took a major leap forward on the comeback trail.
The 30-year-old Sharapova dismissed defending champion Peng Shuai, 6-3, 6-1, powering into the Tianjin final.
More: Sharapova Granted Moscow Wild Card
The 86th-ranked Russian’s fourth consecutive straight-sets victory sent her into her first WTA final since she defeated Carla Suarez Navarro in the Rome final to claim her 35th career title in May of 2015.
"The finals are the stage that I want to be at and where I want to do well," Sharapova told WTATennis.com. "It has been a long road, so this is very rewarding, but I also know I have another match to play, so as much as I want to be happy and content, I know that I have an ambitious opponent in front of me.”
The former world No. 1 smacked five aces and did not drop serve defeating Peng for the sixth time in seven meetings.
Sharapova will face Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
The 102nd-ranked Belarusian beat former French Open finalist Sara Errani, 6-1, 6-3, to reach her first WTA final.
"From what I have seen, she is a really good player," Sharapova said of Sabalenka ahead of the final. "She is hungry, young [and] motivated to be in this stage of the tournament. It's very flattering when someone looks up to you, but it's also very dangerous because they want that position. They want to be the champion and no matter who you are playing in the final, both of us deserve to be at that stage. I am excited. I am excited that my first final [back] is at this event."