SINGAPORE — Maria Sharapova continued her mastery of Romania's Simona Halep with a high quality 6-4 6-4 victory filled with bruising baseline rallies to edge closer to a last four berth at the WTA Finals on Tuesday.
The Russian world number four topped the Red Group at the eight women end-of-season finals with her second win and next faces U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta, who said she would retire after the tournament, with a semi-final spot on the line.
The 33-year-old Italian had earlier kept alive her WTA Finals bid with a flurry of backhand winners as she downed a strapped up and fatigued Agnieszka Radwanska 7-6(5) 6-4 to leave the Pole bottom of the standings with two defeats.