Melbourne, Jan 2 : Maria Sharapova outlasted Estonian Kaia Kanepi 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in Brisbane International tennis quarter-finals.

Kanepi, at one stage appeared to silence Sharapova, but the four-time grand slam champion regained her composure to book a likely semi-final showdown with world No. 1 Serena Williams.

According to The Age, Sharapova launched into her trademark screams on each point but little else resembled the world No. 4 as she struggled to find her serving groove against the hard-hitting Kanepi.

It was her first tournament in five months after recovering from a shoulder complaint and after being gifted a Brisbane quarterfinal berth due to Aussie Ashleigh Barty's withdrawal, Sharapova faced her toughest assignment yet against world No. 30 Kanepi.

The report said that Sharapova held her serve only twice amid a total of five breaks in the opening set and the second began like the first with the pair trading breaks in the first two games before a Kanepi double fault gifted Sharapova a 4-2 lead and she didn't look back. (ANI)