AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Top-seeded Russian star Maria Sharapova was upended by Hungarian veteran Greta Arn, while reigning champion Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium was an easy quarterfinal winner Thursday at the season-opening ASB Classic, an Australian Open tuneup.
Arn dismissed the former world No. 1 and three-time major champion Sharapova in 6-2, 7-5 straight-set fashion. The 2008 Aussie Open winner Sharapova had her serve broken no less than five times on Day 4.
The 31-year-old Arn will next take on fourth-seeded Julia Goerges of Germany, a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 come-from-behind winner over Ukrainian wild card Kateryna Bondarenko, in Friday's semifinals.
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Wickmayer had no trouble in her round-of-eight match, as she drubbed Romanian Simona Halep 6-0, 6-2 and will face China's Peng Shuai in the semis. Peng defeated British qualifier Heather Watson, 6-4, 7-5.
Wickmayer beat Italian Flavia Pennetta in last year's finale here.
