Williams beats Sharapova; Djokovic, Federer to meet in semis

But that approach is what has helped win her 21 major titles, and Williams’ aggressive returns finally helped her convert on her fourth set point, following a heavy ground stroke to the net and putting away a volley. Up next for her is fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat No. 10 Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-3 to reach her fifth Grand Slam semifinal.

The Williams-Radwanska match is a rematch of the 2012 Wimbledon final, which Serena won 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.

Four-time champion Federer capped the afternoon session with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 6 Tomas Berdych, reaching his 12th Australian Open semifinal and his 39th in a Grand Slam.

The win also marks Williams’ 18th consecutive victory and 19th in their 21 career meetings since 2004. “At one stage, I lost count of how many times I played”, Djokovic said. “I’m going to do my best, and I have nothing to lose”. “He’s one of those guys who make you a better player, he’s beaten me on the biggest courts around the world”.

That’s Williams’s 18th straight victory over Sharapova, dating back to 2004.

Sharapova, the 2008 champion here, said: “It’s motivating because she’s at a different level”.

Asked what she needed to fix in her game to challenge Williams, Sharapova replied: “Just keep setting opportunities, keep getting to the point where I have an opportunity to play against her, keep finding a way to turn that around. Overall it was a very solid performance”.

The post Tennis: Djokovic, Federer on course for Australian Open semifinal meeting; Serena Williams continues to dominate Sharapova appeared first on Chronicle-Telegram. “Thought at times, you know, when I got in the rally I wasn’t moving forward, wasn’t cutting the angles off enough”.

Something daunting in her path to the title, though, is a semifinal against Williams.

The Swiss beat Tomas Berdych in straight sets, while Djokovic brushed aside Kei Nishikori. “Certainly I was trying to just concentrate on the match when I was out there, but, like I said, it’s been a hard, hard few days”.

Sluggish Suárez Navarro can’t lock in: The Spaniard said she had trouble sleeping the last two nights and the fatigue showed on Tuesday.

“I think if you’re serving maybe 180 (kph) against somebody else compared to Serena, that’s an ace”, said Sharapova.

The six-time Australian Open champion, Serena Williams attacked Maria Sharapova’s strength with full force to beat her 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. “I’m happy to have that and I’ll be ready for the semi”, she said.

“She’s been playing really well towards the end of the year, and already this year she’s been very consistent”, Williams said of Radwanska, a friend off court. She was also returning well as the Russian’s own serve let her down, with seven double faults. “I felt that my career needed a fresh, strong impetus and a change”, Kvitova said. “I don’t see myself playing anything before Indian Wells [in March]”.

Depending on how Andy Murray fares for the remainder of the tournament, Federer has a good chance to reclaim the world number two ranking from the Scot, having suffered a shock four-set loss to Andreas Seppi in the third round previous year when Murray reached the final.

“I’m here all the time; I have so many friends here”.

But the repeat of last year’s final proved yet another mismatch as defending champion Williams won 6-4 6-1, despite suffering from food poisoning. They will face German Julia Goerges and her Czech partner Karolina Pliskova for a place in the final.