Maria Sharapova [Images] began her quest to play catch-up at the rain-hit Birmingham Classic by winning back-to-back matches on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the grasscourt championships.

After a battling 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over Austrian teenager Tamira Paszek the top seed defeated fellow Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 6-3 to book her place in the last four.

On a day when the Sharapova should have been contesting only a semi-final, she found herself lagging two rounds behind after rain washed out her match against Paszek on Friday.

After a 56-minute disruption in the opening set against Paszek, Sharapova allowed a 4-3 lead in the second set slip through and was forced to play a decider.

The 2004 Wimbledon champion was back on court just hours later and was relieved to carve out a straight sets win against Likhovtseva.

Third seed Daniela Hantuchova [Images] moved back into the top 10 for the first time in almost four years when she overwhelmed Eleni Daniilidou 7-6, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.

The Slovakian was back on court again later in the day as organisers attempted to clear a backlog of matches but her game with Marion Bartoli was suspended due to darkness at 7-5, 4-6.

Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic appeared to show no ill effects from the stiff neck which troubled her on Friday when she beat Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko 6-4, 6-3.

Fourth seed Li Na's patience finally ran out and she was beaten 6-2, 7-5 by Italian eighth seed Mara Santangelo in the quarters.

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