Friday 27 February 2015 11:07, UK
Maria Sharapova survived a second-set wobble against Magdalena Rybarikova to reach the semi-finals of the Mexican Open in Acapulco
Sharapova – who will go to the top of the Road to Singapore standings if she wins the title – won 6-1 4-6 6-2.
But she looked in trouble after losing the second set, confirming after the match that she had been feeling ill.
She looked to be on the way to a routine victory at 6-1 2-2, but Rybarikova won five of the next seven games to take the second set and take a 1-0 lead in the third.
But Sharapova, the top seed, won six of the next seven games to win the match in two hours and 13 minutes.
She skipped the post-match press conference but in a statement she confirmed: "Unfortunately I've had a stomach virus for the past couple of days and during tonight's match it got a lot worse.
"I could not make it to press tonight as I am trying to do everything to recover for tomorrow and hoping that I will be out on the court."
Sharapova next plays the No 3 seed Caroline Garcia, who was winning 6-2 2-1 when her opponent Mirjana Lucic-Baroni had to pull out with illness.
Sharapova has won all three of their previous meetings but she will be wary – Garcia led 6-3 4-1 at the French Open in 2011 before the Russian fought back to win.
The other semi-final sees fifth seed Timea Bacsinszky - who beat Johanna Larsson 6-3 6-3 - face Bulgarian lucky loser Sesil Karatantcheva, who saved three match points before beating Monica Puig 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-4.
Women's quarter-finals
Sesil Karatantcheva (Bul) bt Monica Puig (Pur) 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-4
(5) Timea Bacsinszky (Sui) bt Johanna Larsson (Swe) 6-3 6-3
(3) Caroline Garcia (Fra) bt Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Cro) 6-2 2-1 ret
(1) Maria Sharapova (Rus) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk) 6-1 4-6 6-2
