Wimbledon 2015: Maria Sharapova and Garbine Muguruza advance to semifinals

Maria Sharapova celebrates a point in her win over Coco Vandeweghe in the quarterfinal

Maria Sharapova beat Coco Vendeweghe 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-2 to progress to the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Sharapova was put under pressure right in the first game thanks to some terrific returns by Vandeweghe. The Russian saved four break points before winning the game with a smash near the net.

The No. 4 seed was put in a spot in the third game as she trailed 15-40, but Sharapova hit an ace to bring it to deuce. The American sent two shots long to hand Sharapova the game. A backhand error from Vandeweghe helps Sharapova gain the early advantage as she lead 3-1. Vandeweghe struck right back as she got three break points on Sharapova’s serve. Vandeweghe hit a huge forehand to which Sharapova had no answer to come back into the set.

It was soon three breaks in a row as Sharapova pounced on Vendeweghe’s serve. The American made another error on break point to hand back the advantage to Sharapova.

Sharapova won the opening set when the American netted her forehand on the run.

2004 Wimbledon champion got an early break in the third game when Vandeweghe netted her backhand down three break points. It wasn’t all over for Vandeweghe. Sharapova served for tha match at 5-4. A missed backhand, long forehand and a double fault gives three break points for Vandeweghe. She duly converted it with a forehand winner.

Vandeweghe won the second set in a tie-break by hanging tough on crucial points.

Sharapova started well in the third set as she broke Vandeweghe’s serve when the American netted her forehand. She quickly jumped to a 3-0 lead. Vandeweghe extracted an error from Sharapova with a superb return in the fifth game to make it 2-3. It wasn’t long before Sharapova went ahead as Vandeweghe sent a forehand long in the sixth game to trail 2-4.

Sharapova wasn’t going to give back the advantage to the American. The ninth game went to deuce, but couple of unforced errors by Vandeweghe helped Sharapova close out the match.

The Russian will face either Serena Williams or Victoria Azarenka in the last four.

Muguruza reaches her maiden Wimbledon semifinal

Garbine Muguruza plays a backhand in her win over Timea Bacsinszky

In the other quarterfinal on court 1, Garbine Muguruza beat Timea Bacsinszky 7-5, 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in her career. The Spaniard converted one break point opportunity late in the opening set.

Timea committed a whopping 25 unforced errors and broke just once in the second set. It was too little too late for the Swiss as Muguruza returned well and won crucial points to advance to the last four.

She will play either Madison Keys or Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinal on Thursday.

.@MariaSharapova beats Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 as she moves into the semis in the #Wimbledon2015. pic.twitter.com/4tb4zD6Xz6

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) July 7, 2015