Sharapova suffers first 2008 loss

Mardy Fish celebrates after defeating David Nalbandian at the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, on Friday. PHOTO: EPA

Svetlana Kuznetsova handed Maria Sharapova her first defeat of the year on Friday to set up a clash with top-seeded Ana Ivanovic in the final of the Pacific Life Open.

Kuznetsova, the second seed, defeated fourth-seeded Sharapova 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 to return to the final of the US$5.7 million WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament for the second straight year.

Serbia's Ivanovic defeated third-seeded compatriot Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Kuznetsova, 22 and ranked No. 3 in the world, is in search of her first WTA title since New Haven last August, but she booked her third final of the year after reaching the championship match in Sydney in Dubai.

After dropping the first set, Sharapova gained an early break in the second en route to a 4-1 lead.

Kuznetsova broke back in the seventh game, but Sharapova broke her again in the final game as Kuznetsova double-faulted on set point.

Kuznetsova bounced back to break Sharapova's serve in the first game of the third set, broke again for 4-1 and served out the match with a love game.

In the third, Kuznetsova said, "I really took it away from her. I think it's my credit I played well in the third set."

Kuznetsova said three-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova was below her best, and her vanquished opponent agreed.

"I was playing with a much slower pace than I normally play with. I wasn't going for my shots as I normally do, and I wasn't seeing the ball that good," Sharapova said.

Sharapova, 20, said fatigue was a factor.

"I'm playing a lot of tennis, been flying a lot," she said. "It takes a toll on your body and your mind as well. You feel like you have to go out on the court and spend a lot of emotion and energy out there, and sometimes you just don't have it for every match."

Ivanovic, whose runner-up finish to Sharapova at the Australian Open propelled her to No.2 in the world, posted her fifth victory over Jankovic in six meetings.

Jankovic said she felt strong in the rallies, but didn't serve or return effectively. She couldn't recover from an 0-6 deficit in the first-set tiebreaker, and surrendered her serve in the third game of the second.

Ivanovic broke her again in the ninth game to complete the victory.

On the men's side, world No.1 Roger Federer moved into the semi-finals without firing a shot as his scheduled quarter-final opponent -- unseeded German Tommy Haas -- withdrew with a sinus infection.

In the semis, Federer was due to face unseeded American Mardy Fish, who had to fight his way into the final four.

Fish, ranked 98th in the world, fired 22 aces en route to a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4) win over seventh-seeded David Nalbandian.

Fish, who has lost all five of his matches against Federer, joked that he hoped the Swiss superstar would be "a little too rested."

The American sweated through two hours and 45 minutes to get past Nalbandian.

Fish joined the top three players in the world in the final four.

World No.2 and defending champion Rafael Nadal was due to take on No.3 Novak Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open champion, in the other semi-final, a rematch of their final here last year.