Williams and Sharapova to Meet Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are set to renew their rivalry in the semifinals at the Brisbane International, a key warm-up tournament for the Australian Open. The third-seeded Sharapova beat Kaia Kanepi, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The top-ranked Williams, the defending champion, did not lose a point on serve in the first set en route to a 6-3, 6-3 win over ninth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova. The other semifinal pits the Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic. ■ Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic progressed to the semifinals at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Williams beat Garbine Muguruza, 6-3, 6-3, and the second-seeded Ivanovic beat Kurumi Nara, 6-2, 6-3. Ivanovic will play her doubles partner, third-seeded Kirsten Flipkens, in Friday's semifinals while Williams will play Jamie Hampton. ■ Top-seeded Rafael Nadal was the only seed remaining at the Qatar Open after he beat seventh-seeded Ernests Gulbis, 7-5, 6-4, in the quarterfinals. Nadal will play a German qualifier, Peter Gojowczyk, ranked 162nd. The other semifinal will pit Florian Mayer against Gaël Monfils.