Australian Open: Serena Williams surprised to reach final

The 6-0 6-4 win sent the world No. 1 into her seventh Australian Open decider, with the previous six having all ended in victories, including past year against Maria Sharapova.

An imperious Serena Williams set up a crack at her seventh Australian Open title on Thursday by trampling Agnieszka Radwanska, with only Angelique Kerber now capable of stopping her equalling Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 grand slam triumphs. “I can’t even say I would have been in the final after taking so much time off. I was working hard but either way I’ll be excited”, Williams told ESPN’s Pam Shriver.

Kerber, who became the first German to adance to a final at the Australian Open since Anke Huber in 1996, is looking forward to playing against Serena in the summit clash.

“Doesn’t matter who I’m playing, I just try to go out there and play the best I can”, Williams said. “In important moments I stayed composed”. Williams then spoke of a different approach to her tennis this year. “She’s proven that she wants to take her game to the next level”.

Serena Williams hits a return against Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska during their women’s singles semi-final.

The American was utterly dominant in the first set, her power advantage most obvious as she demolished the 5ft 8in Pole’s serve, winning 12 of 16 return points as she took it in 20 minutes. “I felt like, ‘All right, I didn’t make those shots, but if I had made those shots, I probably would have won that game.’ I just clung on to that and knew I could play better”.

“I think if you’re serving maybe 180 (km/hr) against somebody else compared to Serena, that’s an ace”, Sharapova said. At 4-4, Williams fended off two break points in a grueling game.

It was a sign of what was to come as Williams crushed her opponent from the outset, storming into a 5-0 lead and leaving the crowd wondering if the Pole would ever get on the board.

The grunts were getting louder and with the match in the balance at 4-4, two crashing forehand winners, one from each player, were greeted with screeches of celebration.

Underdog Konta threatened to upset highly fancied Kerber, but the left-hander held her nerve to book a date with Williams.

“She started playing better”. I won against a top-10 player in straight sets. “So I don’t think anyone can really play on that kind of level at all – not me anyway”. Konta was the first British woman since 1983 to reach a major semifinal.

“There is something about her game”.

Ahead of the Williams-Sharapova showdown, Radwanska, a semi-finalist a year ago, said she did not mind who she faced in the last-four clash on Thursday. Uncharted territory The victor will face Kerber or Konta in Saturday’s final-uncharted territory for both players.

“I think I played well in the beginning, especially in the first set”.

Williams, the reigning champion, unleashed rocket serves and fierce groundstrokes to tame the world No 4 under the closed roof of the Rod Lever Arena.