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MADRID, Spain -- Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will play for both the No. 1 ranking and the Madrid Open title after both won their semifinals in straight sets on Saturday. The top-ranked Williams will have a chance to win her 50th career title after beating Sara Errani of Italy 7-5, 6-2, while No. 2 Sharapova recorded her 500th career win at all levels after seeing off Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-3. Sharapova has won all 10 sets she has played on Madrids outdoor red clay court. Williams, however, boasts a 12-2 record against the Russian. After a skittish start, Williams dominated Errani and broke her final service game in both sets. "I feel I played solid," Williams said. "In the second set more than in the first, I made a few less errors, which is something I needed to do." The defending champion improved to 5-0 against the seventh-ranked Errani and to 30-2 overall this year. Williams said Sharapova would pose a difficult challenge. "I feel this whole tournament I have only played clay-court opponents," said Williams. "All have been smaller than me. Tomorrow will be a different game, more power." Williams struggled with her shot-making early, uncharacteristically misfiring on three smashes in the first set, which she still managed to pull out after falling behind 3-1. The 15-time Grand Slam winner then started clicking with her serve and held two games to love, but she needed four set points before finally breaking Errani with a forehand winner placed just inside the line to grab the lead. Ahead a set, Williams pressed her advantage and eased through the second. On Sunday, Williams will play her first final on red clay since 2002. Last years trophy at the Caja Magica came on the experimental blue clay surface that was removed following players complaints it was too slippery. After Sharapova took the first set, Ivanovic opened up a 2-0 lead in the second. But Sharapova responded and stole her serve twice, sealing the second break with a lob over the top of her Serb rival. Sharapova has beaten Ivanovic, a fellow former No. 1, in their last six meetings.Cheap Air Max 90 Womens Cheap Air Max 90 All White .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. http://www.cheapairmax90fromchina.com/ . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Cheap Air Max 90 Running Shoes . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. Cheap Air Max 90 Online . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining.METIAIRE, La. -- The New Orleans Pelicans have waived veteran forward Alonzo Gee, a move that keeps recently acquired guard Lance Stephenson on the opening night roster.I was nervous but confident at the same time, the 6-foot-5 Stephenson said after practice Monday. I try to control what I can control. I can control going hard in practice. I control being with the coaches and learning everything I can possibly learn and being a good teammate.Stephenson has struggled to find a long-term fit since leaving Indiana in 2014, playing with Charlotte, the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis during the past two seasons. Deserved or not, he became saddled with a reputation of being selfish and unreliable. He said he intends to show everyone that he is not the person that you heard about.Stephenson was productive late last season with the Grizzlies, averaging 14.2 points in 26 games. The Pelicans decided to give him a chance with a low-risk, non-guaranteed contract, meaning he had to make the team in preseason.I just had to earn a spot and it shows how confident I am, Stephenson said. I feel like I can do whatever the coach wants me to do. I can rebound or play defense. I can play the point. I can make something happen. Im a great play-maker.The 6-foot-6 Gee, acquired by New Orleans during the 2015 offseason, appeared in 73 games with the Pelicans last season, averaging 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game.Gee also has played with Washington, San Antonio, Cleveland, Denver and Portland since going undraffted out of Alabama in 2009.dddddddddddd He has career averages of 6.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.We probably needed another play-maker, so thats why we went with Lance, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. It helps in that hes a ball-handler and he does have the ability to maybe play in three different positions.Gentry added that Gee did a lot for our team last year and hes a guy tats well-respected on this team. So what happens is you just make a basketball decision and thats basically what it came down to.The Pelicans, who open their season at home against Denver on Wednesday night, have two regular guards and a small forward sidelined for the time being. Starting point guard Jrue Holiday is on indefinite leave to tend to his wife, retired soccer star Lauren Holiday, who is recovering from brain surgery and gave birth last month to their daughter. Guard Tyreke Evans and small forward Quincy Pondexter are rehabilitating from knee surgeries.Gentry said those absences were a factor in keeping Stephenson.Weve still got some guys injury-wise thats going to be out, so we took a chance on bringing him in and taking a look at him, and we just felt like he could do some things that we needed that we didnt have available right now, Gentry said. All I can do is judge him by what hes done here. I havent had any problems at all coaching him. I havent had any problems at all when I corrected him. ' ' '