In a quarterfinal clash between the last two Pacific Life Open women’s champions, 2006 titlist Maria Sharapova once again got the better of Daniela Hantuchova as she came back to oust the defending champion, 7-6(2), 6-1 on Wednesday evening in Indian Wells.

Sharapova’s perfect season appeared in danger as she dropped her first three service games, allowing Hantuchova to build a daunting 5-2 lead. The Russian broke back to make it 5-4, and then saved a set point on her serve before taking control of the match. She won the tie-break, and then stormed through the second set in 35 minutes, conceding just one game to the Slovak. 

“In the first set I was playing like I didn't even belong on that court,” said the fourth-seeded Sharapova. “I finally got my groove back, and it just felt like I finally belonged out there... To be honest, she did everything better than I did in the first set, and somehow I ended up winning it, and that gave me the confidence. And in the end of that set I started to pick it up, but the second set was great.”

With her victory, Sharapova took her umblemished season record to 18-0 and snapped Hantuchova’s Indian Wells winning streak at nine matches. She also posted her seventh straight win over the Slovak in their eighth career meeting.

“I had my chances and didn’t take them today,” said Hantuchova. “I feel like I lost my concentration in that first set and she took advantage of that. I also didn’t take my chances when I had them. But she’s playing very well, hasn’t lost this season, so she really deserves it.”

Hantuchova won two of her three Tour titles in Indian Wells, her first in 2002. She said: “Obviously I feel like it’s my tournament so I’m very disappointed. But I feel good about my game right now and am happy to have come back and played well after being sick.”

Sharapova will next face compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova, the No. 2 seed and 2007 runner-up, who posted a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 10 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the day’s first quarterfinal.

Kuznetsova made good of her opportunities, breaking Radwanska’s serve four times in five chances to confidently close the quarterfinal match in one hour and 25 minutes. In doing so, she avenged her upset loss to the 19-year-old Radwanska in the third round of this year’s Australian Open. She said about the difference between the two matches: “I just was more dictating my game and I was more focused and more calm.”

Both Sharapova and Kuznetsova have a 2-0 record in semifinal appearances this season. Sharapova won the titles at the Australian Open and Doha, while Kuznetsova finished as runner-up at Sydney and Dubai.

Sharapova won her last two matches against Kuznetsova, at the season ending championships in each of the last two years, to take the 4-3 lead in their career series.