Pennetta dumps erratic Sharapova

CARSON, California – Flavia Pennetta capitalized on an error-strewn performance by Maria Sharapova to win their semifinal Saturday and set up a final against Samantha Stosur at the L.A. Women’s Championships.

Pennetta, the tenth-seeded Italian, won, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, as former world’s No.1 Sharapova committed 61 unforced errors and 16 double faults.

Sharapova blew a 3-1 lead in the third set, dropping her final three service games as she continued to struggle with her serve in her sixth tournament since returning from right shoulder surgery last year.

Sharapova wore tape on her right shoulder for the first time this week. A double fault set up Pennetta’s second match point. Sharapova sent a forehand wide to lose the match and drop to 9-2 in three-set matches this year.

Pennetta, who was runner-up here last year, will face Stosur after the 13th-seeded Australian used her powerful serve to rout Sorana Cirstea of Romania, 6-3, 6-2.

Sharapova was wildly inconsistent throughout the match, hitting 34 winners to Pennetta’s 17. The Russian faced break points in every service game in the third, and only staved them off once. She broke Pennetta to lead 3-1 before the Italian took control. (AP)