Serena Williams cruises into Australian Open final

“I don’t think anyone can really play on that kind of level at all”, Radwanska said. She was two matches away from a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2015 when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinals.

“It’s just wonderful to play against the No. 1 in the final in the first Grand Slam of the year”, she said.

“I was extra busy on my new collection that I’m starting”, said Williams, a some-times fashion designer, who is wearing one of own designs – a neon-yellow crop-top with pleated skirt – on the court in Melbourne. I was so stressed out. “In important moments I stayed composed”.

She became the first WTA player since Amelie Mauresmo in 2005 to clinch the WTA Finals crown without yet being a Grand Slam champion.

Against Radwanska, she played a first set that was as near flawless as you can get, with the Pole hailing it as the best tennis she has ever faced.

Sharapova broke the world number one in the first game and mounted a stiff challenge in the opening set but wilted in the second to extend a losing record that goes back 12 years.

Although her level dipped in the second set, Williams got the decisive break in the ninth game to go up 5-4 and then closed out the match in a brisk 64 minutes.

Radwanska, from Krakow, Poland, absorbed Williams’ power, keeping points long and hitting the ball deep.

Also speaking to newsmen, Radwanska said, “I didn’t really think that I was playing bad”.

Germany’s Kerber, the seventh seed, earned her right to face Williams by beating unseeded Briton Johanna Konta 7-5, 6-2 to sweep into her maiden Grand Slam final.

Kerber, the first German woman to reach the Melbourne title decider in 20 years, subdued the British main draw debutante in 82 minutes to set up a meeting with reigning champion Serena Williams. “I have nothing to lose and will give it everything”. I had great two weeks here with ups and downs, with the first match point down, playing against a German. If I don’t win on Saturday, I’ll still be one off.

“It’s great for German tennis to reach the final here”.

“That’s the reason I can’t get so many free points against her”.

Kerber jumped out of the blocks against Konta, breaking twice to lead 3-0.

She’s won all six finals she’s contested at Melbourne Park. Williams had 13 aces, hit 31 winners to 11, and broke Sharapova’s serve four times.

Novak Djokovic has won the second set 6-2 of his semifinal against Roger Federer after taking the first 6-1.

“I was trying to do it in the last few months”.

“Any round feels like finals because of the fact that we are, you know, big rivals, we played so many times against each other”, Djokovic said.

Kerber is the only woman left who can preserve Graf’s grand slam record.

“When I’m forced to play better, I do well”.

Konta had no complaints about her defeat.

“I’m not even angry because I know she was just playing too good today”, she said.

“I thought it was going to be a really rough part”.