Australian Open: Serena Cruise Past Sharapova As Federer Advance To Semis

Serena Williams attacked Maria Sharapova’s strength and it helped extend her complete domination of their rivalry, earning the six-time Australian Open champion a place in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Milos Raonic became the first Canadian man to reach the Australian Open semi-finals, defeating Gael Monfils 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set a semi-final clash with Andy Murray, who earlier beat David Ferrer.

Williams is set to take on 4th seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the semi-finals, after she rolled-over Spain’s Carla Suarez-Navarro in straight-sets, 6-1, 6-3. “I reach the final for the first time”, Kerber said. He advanced with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 7 Kei Nishikori in the night match on Rod Laver.

The victory puts Williams just one win away from matching Steffi Graf’s Open-era Grand Slam record of 22 titles, with Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 edging closer. He hasn’t gone past the semifinals at Melbourne Park since winning the title in 2010, but he’s a serious obstacle for Djokovic.

Konta was unable to go any further, though she made things competitive.

“I’m really excited to be in another final, it kind of blows my mind right now”, said Williams, 34. “She’s an incredibly intense, focused player who was No. 1 and has won so many Grand Slams for a reason”.

The shelf-life of players is limited and it’s all about doing as well as you can – results wise and financially – in that limited time, even if one is relentlessly crushing a friend.

Sharapova has won five majors, including the 2008 Australian title, and has been in three other finals at Melbourne Park. She toppled the surging Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday and has ousted Williams once, in Cincinnati in 2012.

Serena Williams has defeated Maria Sharapova to enter the semifinals of the ongoing Australian Open held in Melbourne.

The general view heading into this match was that for Sharapova to win, Serena would have to play less than her best, while Sharapova would have to serve better.

Radwanksa said there will little she could do in the first set to combat Williams, “she started unbelievable, with such a power and speed”. But Williams held in the third game and broke to quickly level at 2-2.

“He’s the type of player who makes you better”.

Kerber hit more winners than we’re accustomed to seeing from her, and it’s certainly a game plan that she will want to stick to, especially if she potentially faces Williams in the final.

Although Williams was taking medical treatments between sets and in the second half, she didn’t let it affect her performance in any way.

An epic seventh game, including the first deuce of the match, allowed her to hold serve, but an easy Williams hold was followed by another lapse from Radwanska who was broken again.

It dates back to 2004 when she last beat her in the Wimbledon final.

Sharapova hasn’t given up hope of breaking a drought against Williams that goes back to 2004.

“When she plays like she did in the first set, I think she is unbeatable”, Tomasz Wiktorowski told CNN. She broke back to make it level-pegging at 2-2 as the Russian’s serve faltered. The top-seeded Djokovic saved the first three break points he faced, but Federer converted on the fourth.

Standing between Williams and a 22nd Grand Slam singles title is the victor of the second semifinal between No. 7 seed Angelique Kerber and unseeded Johanna Konta. Have I played at my best my whole career? “I think that makes me play better”.