The women's game's most glamorous asset moved to within two matches of reclaiming the singles title with a 6-1, 6-4 victory that was comfortably her best performance of the tournament so far.

Dementieva was only briefly in the contest towards the end of the second set but Sharapova never looked like relinquishing control.

"I got off to a really good start put a lot of pressure on her serves," said Sharapova, who will face either top seed Amelie Mauresmo or another Russian, Anastasia Myskina, for a place in the final.

"Either way it is going to be a tough match, but I'm ready for it," she said.

"I knew it would be tough against Elena because we had had some really big battles in the past and I knew I had to raise my level to win."

Sharapova got off to the perfect start, saving a break point in the first game of the match then breaking her opponent in the second to take control of the opening set.

Dementieva managed to hold her serve in the fourth game but Sharapova immediately reasserted her dominance, wrapping up a service game to love with a double-fisted backhand volley from mid-court.

The remaining games were far more tightly contested but Dementieva was unable to capitalise on her opportunities to really put the squeeze on her opponent.