Maria Sharapova, from Russia, hits the ball back to Alexandra Dulgheru, of Romania, at the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Nadal won 6-1 and 6-2.
Maria Sharapova, from Russia, hits the ball back to Alexandra Dulgheru, of Romania, at the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Nadal won 6-1 and 6-2. J Pat Carter, Associated Press
By Associated Press

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — Maria Sharapova has won a 3½-hour marathon to earn a semifinal berth at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Sharapova rallied to beat No. 26-seeded Alexandra Dulgheru 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) in a match that ended at 12:19 a.m. Sharapova's opponent Thursday will be No. 21 Andrea Petkovic, who reached the semifinals with her second upset in two days, beating No. 6 Jelena Jankovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Petkovic eliminated No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round.

Sharapova's match took 3 hours, 28 minutes. She won despite 17 double-faults and twice as many unforced errors as Dulgheru.

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Sharapova turned her ankle late in the third set and required treatment from a trainer in the middle of a game, but the injury didn't appear to affect her.

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