Rome Masters

Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo crushed four-times winner Conchita Martinez 6-1, 6-2 to set up a last four clash against another Russian, Vera Zvonareva, who edged out Italian Francesca Schiavone 7-5. 7-6.

The tussle between Mauresmo and Martinez failed to live up to its billing. Martinez lacked power and precision on her groundstrokes and made a string of mistakes.

The 33-year-old Spaniard, who won the tournament four times in a row between 1993 and 1996 but is now ranked 47th in the world, was out of her depth against the second seed, who stayed on course for her fifth final in six years in Rome.

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