Mauresmo, Sharapova in Control in Rome

"I think we both didn't play such a great tennis today," Mauresmo said. "I just think on the important points in the important games I was a little bit better today. But that's not the highest level of tennis we've ever seen in Rome, but it happens."

On Friday, Mauresmo will battle moonballer and fellow former Rome champ Conchita Martinez, who advanced when Russian Nadia Petrova withdrew prior to the match with a right knee sprain.

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova drew closer to a possible No. 1 ranking as she edged former French Open winner Mary Pierce 7-6(4), 6-4. The “Cell Phone Mannequin” was up 5-2 before letting it slip away until the regaining hold in tiebreak.

Only the ninth-seeded countrywoman Elena Bovina stands in the way of Sharapova’s first career clay semifinal.

Also winning was No.6 seed Vera “Warren” Zvonareva, who survived a three-set scare with qualifier Catalina Castano, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2. “Warren” will next test Italian queen Francesca Schiavone, who posted her second straight upset by knocking out Ai “Got My Butt Kicked” Sugiyama 6-3, 7-5. Schiavone upset Serena in a stunner on Wednesday.

The remaining quarter will pit nutty No.8 seed Patty Schnyder, an impressive 6-3, 6-2 winner over rising star Ana Ivanovic, and Russian Evgenia Linetskaya, who defeated Argentina's Gisela “Sgt.” Dulko, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.