Wilander impressed

Sharapova posted a new personal best at Roland Garros on Tuesday when she dispatched Anna Chakvetadze in straight sets to reach her first semi final.

"[Sharapova] is getting better and better and the learning curve for Maria at this tournament is pointing straight up," Wilander said.

"She's moving better and she's one of those girls who really believes they can win the tournament. The forehand is … she's able to hit some topspin on it but mainly she hits it very flat. She's got some of that Rafael Nadal follow through which again is something the players are using these days.

"But she can hit [the forehand] inside out, she can hit a good cross court forehand as well and it's not the side you want to play Maria Sharapova on because she showed against Patty Schynder when she had match points against her that the shot she was going for was her forehand and that's where she's the most confident."

Wilander was also impressed by Ana Ivanovic's progress to her first grand slam semi final which she secured with a three sets win over Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"I'm a little surprised [Ivanovic won] but then again Svetlana Kuznetsova sometimes comes out and she doesn't really play tennis," the Swede continued.

"I'm not sure if she loses her concentration and goes for a little bit too much and that's exactly what happened in the first set although Ana Ivanovic hits the ball very hard and hits a very heavy ball."

"What a welcome thing it is for Ana Ivanovic because she is a young girl who people have been talking about for so long and suddenly she ahs made it to the semi finals of the French Open and has answered all those questions."