Serena crushes Sharapova to reach Australian Open semis

The head of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, suggested Sharapova was unwilling to play for Russia next week and told Russia’s R-Sport agency that “if we lose and she doesn’t play, that means she won’t play at the Olympics”.

Her big-match experience pales in comparison to Williams who has won 21 Grand Slam titles, including six at Melbourne Park, and played in four other finals at the majors. “Playing someone like that you have to play with fire and intensity”. Third-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland beat sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4. Their only previous meeting at a Grand Slam came at the 2014 U.S. Open, where Nishikori won in four sets en route to the final.

“I’m not sure why”, Williams said when asked to explain the almost 12-year winning streak. Her six Australian Open titles are an open era record and she would tie Margaret Court for the all-time record were she to win the title this year.

Up next for her is fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat No. 10 Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-1, 6-3, to reach a Grand Slam event semifinal for the fifth time.

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.

Sharapova was wilting and the double fault count was rising with Williams taking another break to lead 4-0.

The Russian showed character to storm back from 0-40 down to hold serve for 4-4 and was all over Williams’s serve in the next game, the American yelling “C’mon!” on successive points as she finally held.

Asked what she needed to fix in her game to challenge Williams, Sharapova replied: “Just keep setting opportunities, keep getting to the point where I have an opportunity to play against her, keep finding a way to turn that around”.

Wait a minute. Williams has what most consider the greatest serve in the history of women’s tennis, and Sharapova, a double-faulting machine, has the edge?

Another ominous fact facing the Pole is that every time defending champion Williams has got past the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park, she has gone on to win the tournament.

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.

“I lost that set 7-5 and I was absolutely toast, because I had to work so hard to stay with her. She didn’t overpower me”. She makes you work.

Williams also had to concentrate hard to hold in the ninth game, when a baby screamed loudly in the stands as she faced breakpoints. Meanwhile, Serena said she was feeling the effects of recent food poisoning and took the court feeling “a little lethargic”.

Serena Williams signs autographs after winning her quarterfinals match against Maria Sharapova at the 2016 Australian Open.

“It’s motivating because she’s at a different level”. I didn’t think I would do this well so fast’.

“I think that makes me play better”.

Serena Williams has never lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open.

“I think it’s good, especially that I did semi-finals here and I won the tournament (Shenzhen) before”, she said of her form.