• Dane refuses to shake umpire's hand after match-point incident
• Sharapova wins Sony Ericsson Open semi-final 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Maria Sharapova benefited from an umpire's disputed overrule on match point to defeat Caroline Wozniacki 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the Sony Ericsson Open semi-finals.
At 5-4 and 40-30 in the final set Sharapova of Russia hit a second serve that the linesman called long. It would have been a double fault but the umpire immediately reversed the ruling and ordered the point replayed. The Dane Wozniacki protested but had no challenges left, though TV replays showed the ball was in.
Sharapova was awarded two serves and took advantage with a big serve to set up an overhead winner for the victory. Wozniacki declined to shake the umpire's hand and had words with him as she walked to the exit. Sharapova will play the winner of the match between Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska and France's Marion Bartoli in the final.
The second seed was ahead early but lost the first set after Wozniacki won five consecutive games.
But Sharapova, who has lost in all three of her previous final appearances in this tournament, recovered in the second set, striking the ball with impressive power.
Wozniacki stuck at her task however and with Sharapova serving for the match at 5-2 she broke, forcing two errors out of the Russian after winning a rally with a magnificent backhand cross-court winner.
The Dane held her serve and then faced Sharapova serving for the match again, but after the umpire's intervention there was to be no second reprieve.