Sharapova ousted at Pan Pacific Open, Azarenka withdraws

TOKYO: Sam Stosur beat Maria Sharapova 6-4, 7-6 (10) Thursday at the Pan Pacific Open, knocking the two-time champion out to advance to the semifinals.
Stosur broke Sharapova to go up 5-3 in the second set but then lost nine straight points as Sharapova sent the match to a tiebreaker, which Stosur won when Sharapova’s return was long.
It was only the second time in 11 matches that Sharapova lost to Stosur, who will face Nadia Petrova of Russia on Friday.
Petrova beat sixth-seeded Sara Errani of Italy 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Sharapova wasn’t the only top player to bow out. Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka withdrew after a bout of dizziness in her third-round match Wednesday.
Azarenka’s scheduled opponent on Thursday, fifth-ranked Angelique Kerber of Germany, advanced to the semifinals on a walkover.
Azarenka, playing in her first tournament since losing in the US Open final to Serena Williams, had her blood pressure checked midway through the first set of Wednesday’s match but bounced back.
The Belarusian said she has been struggling with her health since arriving in Japan.