Hello and welcome to women's semi-final day at the Australian Open.

That was a fantastic match from Li, who is through to her second Australian Open final in impressive circumstances. Who will she face though? World number one and defending champion Victoria Azarenka? Or rising star Sloane Stephens? That match is coming up next.

SHARAPOVA 2-6 2-6 - GAME, SET & MATCH! This time Li does wrap up the match, a solid second serve that Sharapova can only return into the net doing the trick.

Li gets off to a great start racing out to a 30-0 lead before a couple of errors see Sharapova level but the sixth seed produces a stunning serve to bring up match point, the Russian sending her return long and wide... The chance goes begging when Li runs around the ball and fires a forehand long. But she brings up a second chance with an ace...

SHARAPOVA 2-6 2-5 - BREAK! A sixth double fault from Sharapova, hands Li a 0-30 lead against the Russian's serve. Sharapova gets off the mark with a much better point, and a forehand winner off a shorter ball. She then levels with an ace before an unreturnable servce earns her a game point. Li levels up when Sharapova sends a forehand wide down the line before earning herself another break point. And yet again, she does break, this time with a forehand winner. Li will serve for the match...

SHARAPOVA 2-6 2-4 - Li produces her first ace of the match to bring up two game points. She fails to take advantage of the first with a forehand into the net while Sharapova saves the second with a solid rally from the basline, ending when Li hits long. The Russian even gets a break back point but Li saves it with a much better serve and then goes on to hold with an ace down the centre of the court

SHARAPOVA 2-6 2-3 - BREAK! Another super return from Li, which Sharapova can only return into the net, brings up another break point for the sixth seed. Sharapova comes up with a much better first serve this time, Li returning it into the net but she gets another chance and this time she does break, Sharapova hitting into the net after another lengthy rally

SHARAPOVA 2-6 2-2 - Sharapova cannot understand why she is missing her returns of serve and admonishes herself accordingly after a forehand return error. She does make amends on the next point, working Li around the baseline before finding the forehand winner down the line. But the Chinese sixth seed goes on to hold with another serve that Sharapova can only return long again

SHARAPOVA 2-6 2-1 - Sharapova does well to put the disappointment of that last game behind her immediately and hold without too much trouble with a forehand winner. She sneaks ahead once again in this second set

SHARAPOVA 2-6 1-1 - Li goes for a broke with a huge serve and it pays off when Sharapova sends a backhand return across court and this time Li goes on to hold a tough game with another huge serve. That was a disappointing game for Sharapova to lose

Sharapova absolutely crunches a backhand return of serve off Li's second serve. It races across court for a winner to hand the Russian a break point. The Chinese does brilliantly well to save it, however, again standing her ground from the baseline and eventually drilling a forehand winner across court. But a backhand long from the Chinese two points later hands another break point to Sharapova...

SHARAPOVA 2-6 1-0 - Sharapova does well to hold despite losing the first point of the game after again being out-hit by Li from the back of the court. But hold she does to get the second set underway.

SHARAPOVA 2-6 - SET! Li quickly earns herself set points. She squanders the first with a backhand into the net but she wraps up the set after 48 minutes at the second attempt with a stunning off-forehand winner across court and on to the line

SHARAPOVA 2-5 - BREAK! Just when it looks like Sharapova is beginning to find some rhythm she throws in a couple of sloppy shots to hand Li a 0-30 lead against serve. The Russian recovers to level at deuce only to hand Li another break point with a forehand into the net. Sharapova saves it and then also a second with a cross court backhand winner. But Li gets a third chance with a backhand winner down the line and this time she does break with another solid backhand. She will sevre for the set..

SHARAPOVA 2- 4- BREAK! Sharapova lands a forehand return on the baseline to earn herself two break points. Li saves the first with a backhand winner across court and then also a second with a very solid rally that ends when Sharapova puts a forehand long. Li sends an off-balance, inside-out forehand wide across court to hand the Russian a third chance. Ant this time, Sharapova does get the break back with a forehand winner of her own.

SHARAPOVA 1-4 - BREAK! Ouch. Sharapova sends a mis-timed backhand long of the basline to hand Li another break point. The Russian saves it with a much better serve but quickly gives Li a second chance after a 72mph second serve that the Chinese crunches for a forehand winner down the line. Again Sharapova saves it but she can do nothing about the third chance, Li securing the double break with another forehand winner. She has started in blistering fashion.

SHARAPOVA 1-3 - Li is looking very confident indeed as she finds consecutive forehand winners before producing a backhand winner and then a huge first serve that Sharapova can only return long of the baseline. It's a love service game for Li as she keeps Sharapova on the ropes

SHARAPOVA 1-2 - Better from Sharapova on serve this time around as she lands a series of first serves to make things tricky for Li on the return. Sharapova's serve is so improved this year, the double faults still plague her a little but nowhere near as much as they used to

SHARAPOVA 0-2 - Sharapova sends a foehand just marginally long of the baseline to hand Li a game point from deuce. And the Chinese does go on to hold and consolidate the early break when Sharapova sends a forehand into the net

After a few cooler days (cooler for Melbourne anyway) it is swelteringly hot again today. Currently, 1.30pm in the afternoon, it is about 38 degrees in the shade and 44 degrees in the sun. So pretty tough conditions to be playing tennis in.

SHARAPOVA 0-1- BREAK! Sharapova opens with a back-to-back nervy double fault but she quickly settles and just two points later hits both sidelines with consecutive cross court forehands. But Li has also settled quickly, rattling a backhand winner down the line to deny Sharapova on game point and then going on to break when another backhand winner.