The fourth-round tie also ended in controversy when Frazier was serving at match point down.

The line judge ruled that Sharapova’s forehand was long at 6-5 and 40-30, but umpire Sandra de Jenken overruled and made the players replay the point much to Frazier’s disbelief.

Frazier netted meekly to hand 13th seed Sharapova a 6-4 7-5 win and a second successive Grand Slam quarter-final appearance.

Sharapova, who reached the fourth round on her debut here last year, made a patchy start, losing two out of her first three service games but broke again in the eighth to square the set at 4-4.

She then started to show flashes of the talent which brought her the DFS Classic title in Birmingham earlier this month by holding serve to love.

Although she wasted her first set point with a long forehand she out-rallied the 31-year-old to create another break point and took the set with a double fault.

Sharapova, who beat Frazier in straight sets three months ago in Miami, was gradually starting to find her rhythm, but the American doggedly stuck to her task as the first eight games of the second set went with serve.

Frazier earned the chance to serve for the set when Sharapova double-faulted at 30-30 and then fired a backhand into the net.

But Frazier double-faulted as Sharapova broke back instantly at 5-5.

Sharapova then passed Frazier with a brilliant forehand down the line in saving one of two break points to hold serve and broke in the 12th game to take the match.