Maria has won her first title of her comeback from shoulder injury at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo after Jelena Jankovic retired with a wrist injury. Maria was leading 5-2 30-0 when Jankovic retired. This is Maria's 1st title of 2009 and the 20th of her career.
Jankovic took a 2-0 lead in the 1st set by breaking Maria in the 1st game. Then the momentum switched to Maria's side of the court as she took the next 5 games, Maria levelled the set 2-2 when Jankovic netted a forehand. Jankovic was leading 40-0 on her service game but Maria started to play powerful and accurate returns and took the next 5 points to lead 4-2. Maria then held her serve and at the changeover Jankovic had an injury time-out for a wrist injury and played 2 more points on her service game and retired.
МАША СТАЛА 15й в рейтинге!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ПОЗДРАВЛЯЮ!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maria scored a straight set victory over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic to reach the semis at the Toray Pan Pacfic Open in Tokyo. Maria won 6-4 7-5 in 1 hour and 39 minutes to reach her 4th semi-final of 2009.
After the win Maria said: "I feel like I'm starting to get the feeling back of being able to figure things out automatically. Like knowing when you have to be patient and when you have to be aggressive. The goal is to be aggressive. I can make a few more errors but it's all about execution and knowing when not to make a mistake."
Maria will play either Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland or Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia in the semis to be played on Friday.
In the rankings Maria will move back up into the top 20 provisionally at #20 with 2230 points.
Maria will now receive a bye in the first round of the China Open in Beijing after this win as all the semi-finalists of Tokyo do.
Шарапова: Клейбанова: 2:6, 6:2, 6:2.
In the quarters to be played on Thursday, Maria will face Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic. They have played once before at Roland Garros on clay in 2006 and Maria won 6-4 6-1.
In the rankings, Maria provisionally moves up to #22 with 2080 points. 
