Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Day 12 of the French Open. Today the spotlight is on the women's semi finals. First up on Chatrier we have Maria Sharapova (7) versus Eugenie Bouchard (18). The players are due on court shortly.

Sharapova will meet either Andrea Petkovic or Simona Halep in Saturday's final. That semi-final clash is next up on Chatrier.

GAME, SET & MATCH! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 6-2 BOUCHARD. The Russian books her place in a third straight final at Roland Garros after a concluding game that was something of a microcosm of the match. The seventh seed chalked up two break points at 15-40 but couldn't make them count and Bouchard bravely fought off four before a full-blooded rally ended with Sharapova rasping down a shot that just clipped the baseline.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 5-2 BOUCHARD. Sharapova toils on her serve once again but hammers down a thunderous one down the middle to level at 30-30. Bouchard then fires narrowly wide before crashing a wayward volley well off the court. The seventh seed is closing in on the final.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 4-2 BOUCHARD. The youngster somehow saves two break points to stay in this, though it's hard to see her pulling off a victory now. The 20-year-old's unforced error count has spiked in the past few games and it left her facing two break points here. But Sharapova wants to win it the hard way and contrived to hand her a hold with a couple of narrow misses when it looked like a 5-1 scoreline.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 4-1 BOUCHARD. Those doubts keep creeping back at times, but Sharapova eventually holds to step closer to a third straight final in Paris. The Russian sears down an ace at 30-30 and then makes Bouchard play one more shot in a fabulous rally that the Canadian contrives to scoop wide.

BREAK! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 3-1 BOUCHARD. Arguably the game of the contest thus far, particularly in terms of winners. Bouchard races clear at 40-0 with two sensational shots before Sharapova responds with a raking crosscourt forehand. The Canadian then tightens up and allows the seventh seed back in it at deuce. The pair exchange blows with some scintillating tennis until Bouchard's attempted volley crashes into the net to give her opponent a significant break.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 2-1 BOUCHARD. Sharapova really is doing this the hard way. A ninth double fault allows Bouchard back in at 30-0 before the Russian slams a wild swing long of the baseline. A sweeping winner with the backhand puts her back on track and an ace down the middle seals it.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 1-1 BOUCHARD. Dogged work from Bouchard who produces a magnificent serve at 30-30 to gain the initiative. She then stays in a bruising rally and forces the long error from the Russian to level.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 1-0 BOUCHARD. The power and determination of Sharapova often comes to the fore in a third set and this start was ominous. The serve was better and there are signs that more and more mistakes are creeping into Bouchard's play. It was a simple game to love and the Canadian now needs to find something special to divert the momentum of the first set back her way.

SET! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 7-5 BOUCHARD. Finally! Sharapova sends the match into a deciding set with some huge hitting that Bouchard had no answer to. A stunning shot down the line set up two set points and she eventually made it count on the second when Bouchard fired tamely into the net. All square in what has been an error-strewn affair that makes the winner almost impossible to predict!

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 6-5 BOUCHARD. The seventh seed edges ahead with the routine service game to 15 that she was hoping for last time out. At 40-0 she is again cruising but in this contest nothing can be taken for granted. Bouchard snares a point back but then fires just wide of the left tramline to leave herself serving to force a tie break. Can Maria finally make this count in a set that she has largely been her own worst enemy?

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 5-5 BOUCHARD. Wonderful stuff from the 18th seed as she racks up a third game in a row. It's a tense one but she continues to go for her shots and wins it to 30 with a fabulous winner into the open court. All square in the second set.

BREAK! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 5-4 BOUCHARD. More service jitters cost Sharapova dearly as Bouchard eventually wins a topsy-turvy game rife with sublime winners and simple errors. The first two aces of the match give Sharapova match point on two occasions but she follows each one up with a double fault. A sublime drive-volley from Bouchard then tees up a break point and although the Canadian can't make it count, she hangs in and eventually breaks back at the third time of asking. What is going on here?

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 5-3 BOUCHARD. Solid serving from Bouchard who holds to 15 to keep herself just the one break behind. Now, can Maria keep her nerve on serve with the sun in her eyes to level it at 1-1?

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 5-2 BOUCHARD. Maria is starting to get some semblance of a decent service game going and this is as routine as they come. A sweeping volley that wrong foots Bouchard clinches the game to love and leaves the Canadian needing to hold serve to stay in the set.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 4-2 BOUCHARD. A vital hold for Bouchard after her serve had appeared to have completely deserted her in this set. Sharapova helped her on her way, firing long in quick succession to give Genie some breathing space. The Canadian then wasted a gilt-edged opportunity with Sharapova at her mercy but regained composure to see it out to 15.

- SHARAPOVA 4-6 4-1 BOUCHARD. It's deja vu but Maria finally consolidates a break. The seventh seed races 30-0 up but then it all goes pear-shaped once again. Two double faults, with one at deuce, allow Bouchard a glimmer of hope. The Canadian blows her big chance by hooking just wide of the right tramline and Sharapova finally sees out the game with a clenched fist and a roar of 'C'mon!'

BREAK! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 3-1 BOUCHARD. Both players are being far too generous on their own serve, allowing opportunities for their opponent to turn up the heat. From 40-0 up Bouchard is forced to save two break points with some brave tennis, but she ultimately comes unstuck on the third with a double fault after Sharapova appeared to move as she was about to serve.

BREAK! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 2-1 BOUCHARD. Brilliant from Bouchard, but shocking from Sharapova. At 30-0 the Russian is cruising but the demons creep back in and two double faults and an attempted winner that drops long gifts Genie an unexpected break point. The rally of the game ensues and after Maria just about gets to a drop shot, the 18th seed eventually snares the point to break back.

BREAK! - SHARAPOVA 4-6 2-0 BOUCHARD. It's becoming something of a trademark for Maria to hit back in second sets. A sublime drop shot puts Genie in control but Maria shifts the momentum with an impossible crosscourt winner. It leads to the Russian teeing up two break points and she wins it on the second with a rasping backhand that completely wrong foots the 20-year-old.