The brave Belgian defeated the Russian glamour girl 6-4, 6-2 just 24 hours after she had finished a three set marathon against another Russian, Svetlana Kuznetsova, hurting and near exhaustion.

It was her 22nd match win in a row including three titles at Charleston, Warsaw and Berlin, all on clay, since her second tournament back from the viral condition that floored her last year.

Next up will be a third Russian in succession, Nadia Petrova, who made it through to only her second Grand Slam semi-final with a suprisingly easy 6-2, 6-2 win over 17-year-old Serb Hope Ana Ivanovic.

In what was a bad day for the new wave, 15-year-old Sesil Karatant-cheva's bid to become the youngest winner of a Grand Slam title in the modern era ended in heartbreak when she let slip a one set lead to veteran Russian Elena Likhovtseva to lose 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The final quarterfinal opposing top seed Lindsay Davenport and the remaining French hope Mary Pierce was to be played later Tuesday, the winner playing Likhovtseva.

Seeded 10th, Henin-Hardenne has been playing with a painful lower back that requires treatment after each game and she needed to save two match points in her 3hrs 15mins tie against Kuznetsova.

But it was a refreshed Henin-Hardenne who took to the court against Sharapova, a player whose game is ill-adjusted to clay but who had warned others not to underestimate her.

"I wanted to force her to play the maximum of balls and not to give her the same two balls in a row. I mixed it up and that really bothered her," said Henin-Hardenne.

The opening games were tight with Sharapova looking to get into the net and Henin-Hardenne either pressuring the Russian on her slower backhand side or destab-lizing her with her drop shots.

The 2003 champion moved ahead with a break of serve in the sixth game only for Sharapova to break back immediately.

But Sharapova struggled again in her following serve and Henin-Hardenne cashed in on her fourth break point when the Russian flapped a forehand into the net.

The 10th seed went one set up three games later when Sharapova slapped a forehand wide.

Cheered on by her boisterous Belgian fans filling the Suzanne Lenglen showcourt, Henin-Hardenne was growing in confidence with her trademark whipped one-handed backhand causing all kinds of problems for Sharapova.

Breaks in the third and fifth games left the outcome in no doubt and a relaxed smile replaced the Belgian's usual stony countenance as she successfully served for the match.

"Everybody knows that I am playing good on clay but I can lose to anyone," she said.

"My game is better than it is has every been. I just have to remain calm on the court. I still have a long way to go."

Her semifinal opponent Petrova had too too much firepower and experience for the up-and-coming Ivanovic to cope with and she warned that she would be a different proposition than two years ago when she lost to Kim Cijsters in he last four.

"I feel like I am on the same level to compete with anyone at the moment," the injury-prone Russian said.

"It is different this time as I have more experience and more self belief. I am a calmer person on the court."

Bubbly Bulgarian Karatantcheva was seeking to depose Monica Seles as the youngest ever winner and she got off to a perfect start by easily taking the first set.

However, a combination of nerves and the greater experience of the 29-year-old Russian eventually proved decisive.