Na Li into another major final as Maria finds fault (plenty)

A perfect sunny day for what should have been a showcase of women's tennis, and to all intents and purposes we received that. However, the form that Sharapova had displayed a mere 48 hours prior to today was spoiled by her abundance and poor timing of double faults. It left the Chinese Na Li with less work to have to do, but do it she did with maximum efficiency and skill to burn. Pity that Maria left her form in the locker because she looked immaculate and photographers remained interested long after tennis followers had left her fan club and were rooting for the efforts of Na Li.

Mitigating circumstances for the lower than normal standard for a semi final at a Grand Slam tournament included the wind which intervened whenever it felt and with whatever speed and annoyance that could guarantee discomfort for playing personnel. Feeling the pain in a scoring sense most was the taller blonder one who slipped behind straight away 1-4, representing only one service break but still not the drag off the line for one searching for a career Grand Slam.

Of course Maria has weapons and footwork aside managed to break back for 3-4. Service being held in this stage of the match definitely did not rate a priority and just for good measure the girls exchanged one more break each for Na Li to lead 5-4 and have the Russian serve to stay alive in the set. OK that is over dramatic - no one had threatened Maria's life should she fail to hold her serve, though that sentence of death would have had to be carried out because as sure as she served double faults and committed unforced errors, Sharapova donated the tenth game to the Chinese girl who led by a set 6-4.

The real Sharapova, or something close to a facsimile, emerged from her racquet bag for the start of set two, and this confused Na Li who dropped serve and couldn't even break the real Maria's serve - the first time in the match this had failed to happen. For the next little while, the girls played solid tennis, with Na Li's forehand still causing major concern for Sharapova but not as threatening to the Russian serve. Meanwhile, Sharapova had worked out ways that she could use her thundering groundstrokes to pass the Chinese number one, again not creating too many break chances.

Finally, in the eight game, a service break was achieved, Na Li doing the damage to level at 4-4. Sharapova had chances to break in the ninth game but failed, and this in hindsight signalled the end. Na Li raced to 6-5 and Maria crumbled in the 12th game, the low point the final point - yet another double fault to hand the game set and match to Na Li who becomes the first player since Kim Clijsters (2010 US Open, 2011 Australian Open) to play in successive Grand Slam tournament finals. Kim won her finals. Can Na Li go one better than Melbourne and become China's first major champion? After thrashing Azarenka and handling the wind and Maria you would have to rate her a good show.