MADRID _ Svetlana Kuznetsova reached the Madrid Open final when she ousted defending champion Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-4 on Friday.

Kuznetsova beat her fellow Russian for the first time in seven years by breaking Sharapova three times, and saving the one break point she faced.

Kuznetsova, into her first final in nine months, will meet either Serena Williams or Petra Kvitova in the final.

She said, “I’m just happy to be in the final.”

The third-ranked Sharapova would have returned to No. 2, behind Williams, had she reached the final.