Pavlyuchenkova beats Sharapova in Paris

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in an all-Russian semifinal of the Open GDF Suez in Paris on Saturday. Pavlyuchenkova will play third-seeded Sara Errani of Italy for her first final since the Korea Open in September.

Errani outlasted Alize Cornet of France, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (5).

“I knew that I had to serve well because Maria has one of the best returns on the tour, probably,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “I remember playing her like three or four years ago, she broke me a lot of times and that was the key for her to win.”

In their only previous meeting, Sharapova beat Pavlyuchenkova in 2010 in Cincinnati.

Sharapova led 3-0 in the opening set but her compatriot broke back in the seventh game. Pavlyuchenkova lost the first set by sending a backhand wide as Sharapova imposed her aggressive game, having a 15-9 edge in winners and winning nine of 10 points at the net.

Pavlyuchenkova put the four-time Grand Slam champion under pressure in the second set, capitalizing on a double fault and a forehand error to break Sharapova in the opening game. The 26th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova evened the match with a backhand winner.

AP