Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the second Women's semi final match of the day that sees 28th seed, Andrea Petkovic take on fourth seed, Simona Halep. The winner will meet Maria Sharapova in the Saturday's final.

GAME, SET & MATCH! - HALEP 6-2 7-6 (4) PETKOVIC. Simona Halep has done it! The Romanian will now face Maria Sharapova in her first ever Grand Slam final. A double fault by Petkovic hands Halep the initiative at 3-1 in the TB and she strengthens her position with a well-worked rally. But the German refuses to give up and claims the next two points to stay alive. A crazy slice by Petkovic puts the fourth seed back in control and she sealed the win with a blistering serve and forehand combination.

TIE BREAK! - HALEP 6-2 6-6 PETKOVIC. It's tie-break time as Halep eases to a third love service game of the set. Who is going to hold their nerve now? This is a tough one to call.

- HALEP 6-2 5-6 PETKOVIC. Resilient tennis from Petkovic as she recovers from a mid-game blip at 40-15 up to finally see off Halep with two well-worked points from deuce. It's the minimum of a tie-break for the German, but can she pile pressure on the fourth seed's serve now and nick the set?

- HALEP 6-2 5-5 PETKOVIC. Brilliant from Halep. She may have been in unfamiliar territory serving to stay in the set, but she showed no fear with two sublime winners, one being a cute volley. Petkovic was unlucky with the next point and a net cord but it did little to halt the Halep onslaught as she took the game to love.

- HALEP 6-2 4-5 PETKOVIC. The pair exchange blows with some superb winners, notably a disguised crosscourt beauty from Petkovic. The German eventually prevails to 30 as Halep is left lamenting the fact she has lost more than four games in a set for the first time in the tournament. But it could get worse - now she's serving to stay in this set.

- HALEP 6-2 4-4 PETKOVIC. At 15-15 one of the points of the match goes the way of Halep as the German steers a tame volley into the net. However, the Romanian's body language illustrates she knows she's in a tough encounter now and she lets a 40-15 lead slip. A beast of a forehand volley puts her back in control and Petkovic fires long to let the fourth seed off the hook.

- HALEP 6-2 3-4 PETKOVIC. The 28th seed suffers more service jitters as a double fault allows Halep to take it to deuce from 40-0 down. The German uses the frustration in a positive way and in the end her power tells as the fourth seed swings wildly out of court.

- HALEP 6-2 3-3 PETKOVIC. Simona is buoyant. It looked odds-on she was going to trail 1-4 but is now level at 3-3 after a rampant love game. How will Petkovic respond to yet another setback?

BREAK! - HALEP 6-2 2-3 PETKOVIC. What a missed opportunity! How telling will that be? The German lets a commanding 40-15 lead slip, choosing the wrong time to serve a first double fault of the match. It provides Halep with a window of opportunity and she seizes it, rasping a fierce return towards the 28th seed's feet that she can only flick into the net.

BREAK! - HALEP 6-2 1-3 PETKOVIC. A sudden shift in momentum sees Andrea grab the initiative in this second set. The German is making life more and more difficult for Halep. She dictates the play but at 30-30 a weak drop shot slips harmlessly into the net. It seems like a missed opportunity but she continues to pile the pressure on and secures the break with a powerful winner.

- HALEP 6-2 1-2 PETKOVIC. Solid from the 28th seed. The demolition she endured in the first set seems to have washed away the nerves and there's a lot more spirit in her game. At 40-0 she drops the next two points but she's made of sterner stuff now and holds firm as Halep miscues.

- HALEP 6-2 1-1 PETKOVIC. The Romanian drops the first point on her serve yet again, but once more she recovers to see it out by taking the next four. A venomous first serve is too hot for Petkovic at 40-15 and the German can only hammer her return into the net.

- HALEP 6-2 0-1 PETKOVIC. Just what the doctor ordered. That was a confident and dominant service game from Petkovic to 15. It was just how she would have wanted to begin the opener to this contest. Sadly for her, that's gone now but this is what she needs to keep doing to make a match of this.

SET! - HALEP 6-2 PETKOVIC. The fourth seed seals the first set in 28 minutes, but this game proves tricky for her. A double fault gets her off to a shaky start and a patchy serve sees her waste three set points before Petkovic hands it to her when she fires long.

- HALEP 5-2 PETKOVIC. Well played Andrea. The German keeps her composure with two overheads and then blasts down a stonking first serve to gain the ascendancy. Halep finds herself on the backfoot and can only hook into the net. The Romanian will shrug it off and serve for the first set.

- HALEP 5-1 PETKOVIC. Simona comes through the first test of her serve with a sixth forehand winner to set up game point at 40-30. Petkovic had dug deep to apply some real pressure but then overcooked a shot to the baseline. The German must now serve to stay in this first set... already!

BREAK! - HALEP 4-1 PETKOVIC. This is proving as one-sided as the pundits were predicting. A sizzling return winner with both feet off the ground sets Halep on her way and she goes on to take another game to love when Petkovic fires long.

- HALEP 3-1 PETKOVIC. A first ace of the match is followed hot on the heels by another as Halep secures a love game. The fourth seed has looked very comfortable so far, like the magnitude of the stage was made for her.

- HALEP 2-1 PETKOVIC. Much better from the 28th seed as she gets herself on the board with a solid hold to 15. If only that had come in the opening service game!

- HALEP 2-0 PETKOVIC. Superb from the 22-year-old as she consolidates the break to 15 with a rasping crosscourt winner. It's already an uphill task for Petkovic. How will she respond to such an early blow?