(Australian Open) Serena pummels Sharapova into submission

After losing to Williams 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) in the final past year, Sharapova said she felt close to breaking the biggest hoodoo in women’s tennis, but a 6-2, 6-4 defeat in the semi-finals of Wimbledon showed the chasm was as wide as ever.

The second was far more straightforward for the 21-time grand slam champion, who dominated to remain unbeaten against Sharapova since 2004.

“When you’re playing someone like that… you have to come out with a lot of fire and intensity”, Williams said courtside.

Four-time Australian Open victor Roger Federer breezed into the quarter-finals of the tournament on Sunday where he will meet Tomas Berdych.

Sania Mirza celebrated her Padma Bhushan award in fine style on Tuesday, notching up her 34th consecutive win with partner Martina Hingis to storm into the women’s doubles semifinals at the Australian Open.

It was a tight battle and the Russian had two break points herself in the next game, with Williams showing emotion for the first time, screaming “Yes” and pumping her fist as she held on for 5-4.

Sharapova last won the Australian Open in 2008.

Before her match, Williams was keeping an eye on Sharapovas match and noted that she “had a really good win today.”.

Sharapova fired down a career-best 21 aces in her fourth-round victory over Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic but had trouble imposing her serve on the world No.1. Williams has yet to drop a set in the event and she has only dropped eight total games in her last three matches. Williams, with the great Margaret Court in the stadium watching, held serve and broke again for a 3-1 lead.

Part of the problem for Sharapova is that her game is predicated on overpowering opponents.

Williams closed the 92-minute clash with a forehand put away at the net, her 31st victor of the day.

The first set saw Sharapova break Williams in the opening game and then hold her own serve to take a 2-0 lead.

“I think longevity is something definitely to look at”, she said.

For the Russian five-time Grand Slam victor, 28, her demoralising jinx against one of the greatest players ever remains intact.

Sharapova didn’t sound discouraged after yet another loss to Williams.

It was one of the most anticipated matches of the day, but in the end it proved to be one of the most one-sided ones. “He always makes you play the extra shot”, he said.

Serena Williams told the BBC that she’d been previously unaware of who she’d be playing next.

“I was a little lethargic (in the first set) I just started slow”.

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Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka faces seventh seed Angelique Kerber while unseeded Briton Johanna Konta takes on Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai in the other quarter-finals on Wednesday.

A match with Sharapova has also appeared to act as a powerful motivation for Williams in her career.

“These are the tournaments that we value the most and to be able to always come up with the best performance in the Grand Slams, of course I’m very proud of it and hopefully I can keep going”, Djokovic said after holding off Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Sunday at the Australian Open.