Australian Open: Serena WIlliams beats Sharapova, cruises into semis

Six-times champion Serena Williams has stormed into the Australian Open semi-finals, extending her run of dominance over Maria Sharapova to 18 matches.

The Pole beat Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3 in a battle of players who employ guile and spin rather than power. “[Sharapova is] an incredibly intense, focused player who was No. 1 and has won so many Grand Slams for a reason”.

The defending champions face very different hurdles in the last four, however, with Djokovic moving on to face 17-times grand slam victor Roger Federer and Williams’s path to a seventh final blocked by the slight figure of Agnieszka Radwanska.

Top-ranked Williams beat Sharapova 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals Tuesday, her 18th consecutive victory and 19th in 21 meetings dating to 2004. “Doesn’t matter who I’m playing, I just try to go out there and play the best I can”, Williams said.

The match turned on the next game when Sharapova fended off three set points despite failing to get her first serve in before Williams converted the fourth after a long rally with a volley at the net. “Hopefully not. Unless you know something I don’t know”, she said when asked if this could be her last Australian Open. But Williams worked her way into the match in style, saving break points at 4-4 and winning seven games in a row at one stage.

“She played quite explosive”, Sharapova said.

The Russian had opportunities, most notably with two break points at the end of the first set, but Williams delivered at the decisive moment and it was one-way traffic thereafter. I was missing too much, especially first couple sets.

What will it take for Maria Sharapova to beat Serena Williams? Plus, when I play her, I know automatically I have to step up my game.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand return to Kei Nishikori of Japan during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016.

Keys began to feel pain in her left leg early in the second set and, after having her upper thigh wrapped, had difficulty putting any weight on her leg to serve and looked increasingly in pain as the match wore on.

Despite remaining an invincible force, the driven American said she had learned to relax and was enjoying her tennis greatly now that the clock was ticking on her career.

“I think that’s really important”, the world number five said.

“I’ve been playing this week aggressive and I didn’t start that way so after the first set I just wanted to play the way that got me to the quarter finals”. You don’t need to spend words on his achievements – he is a great champion and someone I have a lot of respect for.

The World No. 1 was seen by the tournament doctor twice and appeared to be given a fruit bar – her coach Patrick Mouratoglou told reporters she was dizzy; Williams said she’d suffered from food poisoning a “few days ago” – but even an under-the-weather Williams can win grand slams.

The No. 3-ranked Federer put on a dazzling display of footwork and shot variety against the No. 6-ranked Czech, improving his record over Berdych to 16-6.