Sharapova sets up Mladenovic semi

Maria Sharapova’s comeback from a 15-month doping ban continued at the Porsche Grand Prix with a straight sets victory while Laura Siegemund delighted home fans to progress.

Sharapova won her quarter-final 6-3 6-4 against Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit to set up a last-four clash with France’s Kristina Mladenovic, who dispatched Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3 6-2.

In the other half of the quarters, German wildcard Siegmund downed second seed Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7-3) 5-7 6-3 and meets either Anastasija Sevastova or fourth seeded Simona Halep on Saturday.

Sharapova, 30, controversially received a wildcard for Stuttgart, as well as for upcoming events in Madrid and Rome, instead of having to work her way up through qualifiers or small tournaments after her ban for taking meldonium.

And despite her lengthy absence, the Russia appears to have returned in strong form.

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She saw off Kontaveit in just 83 minutes on the indoor clay court, backing up four aces with 25 winners to 12 unforced errors.

“I thought I had a really good rhythm,” Sharapova said.

“When I got my opportunity, I really rolled with it.”

Siegemund was offered a wildcard entry after her fairytale run to the Stuttgart final as a qualifier last year and she has more than justified the organizers’ faith.

Pliskova failed to serve out the first set, giving Siegemund a break back through a double fault, and the home favourite stormed through the tiebreak.

The Czech took a magnificent late break to love to settle the second set but looked exhausted in the decider. Siegemund broke for the final time in the second game of the third and served out for victory after a marathon 3 hours 10 minutes.

Siegemund, ranked 49th, has six wins over top 10 players with five coming on the Stuttgart clay.