AFP, SHENZHEN: Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova marched into the semi-finals of the Shenzhen Open on Thursday with a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 victory over Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan.

Sharapova, who has worked her way up to 59 in the world rankings since her return from a doping ban last year, will face either of the Czech pair Kristyna Pliskova or Katerina Siniakova in the last four in southern China.

The 30-year-old Sharapova, who is unseeded in the tournament that serves as a build-up to the Australian Open.