Fifth seed Maria Sharapova takes on Sabine Lisicki of Germany in the second women's semi-final at Wimbledon with a place in the showpiece against Petra Kvitova at stake.

SHARAPOVA 6-3 - GAME, SET AND MATCH! Sharapova holds her composure superbly to close out the match in clinical fashion, and the Russian finds three perfect first serves to clinch her place in the women's final showpiece on Saturday, where she will face Petra Kvitova!

SHARAPOVA 5-3 - BREAK! Sharapova slams a string of stunning forehand winners to breach Lisicki's defences once more, and the Russian is thriving now as she moves to within a game of the match! Can she hold her nerve?

SHARAPOVA 4-3 - BREAK! Lisicki responds superbly with a wonderfully crafted game, and the German hits straight back to break and reduce the deficit to a single break of serve.

SHARAPOVA 4-2 - BREAK! Lisicki sees her serve clinically taken apart by Sharapova once more as the German errs slightly on her delivery and is ruthlessly punished with a flurry of winners coming back.

SHARAPOVA 3-1 - Again, the Russian finds two big serves down the T which leave Lisicki no chance of responding, and she holds serve to restore her two-game cushion.

SHARAPOVA 2-1 - Lisicki grabs a game back as the German refuses to be dictated to in this second set, and she remains firmly in contention, stopping Sharapova running away with it.

SHARAPOVA 2-0 - The Russian holds serve to consolidate her break, and the Russian is looking very strong indeed in this second set.

SHARAPOVA 1-0 - BREAK! Sharapova hammers a forehand down the line and stamps her authority on the second set immediately to go a break up and take control!

SHARAPOVA 6-4 - SET! Sharapova closes out the opening set 6-4 in clinical fashion as she completes a brilliant recovery from a break down early on! The Russian is looking extremely focused and determined now.

SHARAPOVA 5-4 - BREAK! What a turnaround this is from Sharapova, who roars with delight and clenches her fist as she powers a backhand winner down the line to clinch a crucial break of serve! Suddenly the Russian looks set to close out the opening set...

SHARAPOVA 4-4 - Sharapova remains on parity as she clubs a few stunning forehands into the open court to beat Lisicki once more and level at 4-4. The German is battling hard and is desperate to force her way back into the ascendancy.

SHARAPOVA 3-4 - Lisicki holds to end a run of three games in which Sharapova has prevailed, and the German is both relieved and delighted with the way she wraps up the game with a forehand cross court!

SHARAPOVA 3-3 - Sharapova levels at 3-3 with a gutsy service hold, and the Russian slams a backhand winner down the line to beat Lisicki and close out the game. This opening set is very finely poised now.

SHARAPOVA 2-3 - BREAK! Sharapova slams a succession of powerful groundstrokes beyond Lisicki's defences, and suddenly the slow-starting Russian is right back on terms in this opening set! Can she complete the recovery and hold?

SHARAPOVA 1-3 - Finally and belatedly, Sharapova gets himself on the board with a solid service hold, and the Russian could barely look more relieved as she clenches her fist in delight! Now what can she do on her opponent's serve?

SHARAPOVA 0-3 - Lisicki does not look remotely nervous or apprehensive at the start of this match, and the German slams a forehand down the line to hold serve again and stretch her early lead to 3-0 in this opening set!

SHARAPOVA 0-2 - BREAK! What a stunning start this is from Lisicki, who bludgeons a succession of powerful groundstrokes from the back of the court to defy Sharapova and break the Russian's serve! Sharapova has a lot of work to do and she must settle quickly now.

SHARAPOVA 0-1 - Lisicki opens with a very comfortable service hold to 15, starting with an unreturnable serve out wide and sealing it with a backhand drive volley winner across court. Very confident start from the German

Lisicki reached the quarter-finals two years ago as a 19-year-old before an ankle injury stalled her progress. However, she has fully justified the organisers decision to hand her wildcard and a game which used both heavy artillery and stealthy drop shots has made her something of a crowd favourite at this year's championships.

Not that she will be taking anything for granted, especially against the dangerous Lisicki, the hardest server in the women's draw this year, blocking her path. "She's really playing great grasscourt tennis and is always very dangerous," Sharapova said. "It's a big stage of a Grand Slam and I'm playing against a tough opponent. She hits very hard. She has probably one of the hardest serves on the tour, and that's very beneficial. She's used that very well on the grass."