Serena extends domination of Sharapova

It was Serena’s 18th consecutive win over Sharapova – she hasn’t lost to the Russian since 2004 – and further showed the gap between a healthy Williams and the rest of the world’s top women’s players.

And yet by playing below her best in a quarter-final against Sharapova, Williams delivered a timely reminder of her talent ahead of Saturday’s decider. While she has been serving well here, with more than twice as many aces (52) as Serena (25), Fernandez says that difference is partly because many of Sharapova’s serves were against Lauren Davis, who is just 5-foot-1, a foot shorter than Sharapova, and doesn’t have as long a reach.

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

Roger Federer advanced to his 39th Grand Slam semifinal, beating Tomas Berdych 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4.

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

This year, Williams has played as if on a mission following her U.S. Open semifinal loss to Roberta Vinci.

Two of the favourites to take out the Australian Open will collide with world No. 1 Serena Williams taking on Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals.

The signs for Radwanska are ominous – every time the American has got past the quarter-final at Melbourne Park she has gone on to win the tournament, including previous year when she also beat Sharapova.

Williams faces Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska after the No 4 seed beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3.

Sharapova described Williams’ performance as “explosive”, but is eager to keep creating chances to overcome her rival. Of 20 meetings, Williams has won 18 of them, including all three when they meet at the Australian Open.

Williams called out the physio before the start of the second set but when play resumed it was Sharapova who struggled, as she was broken in the second game and then again in the fourth, with Williams storming into a 5-0 lead.

Sharapova hit only three Tuesday to go along with seven double faults.

Radwanska opened up a 2-0 lead in the second but then neither player held serve for the next three games until 10th seed Suarez Navarro won an 11-minute sixth game to level at 3-3.

The momentum swinging, Sharapova manufactured two break points in the ensuing game.

“She presents a completely different game, an extremely exciting game”, Williams said of the wily Pole.

But the aggressive returns finally helped Williams convert on her fourth set point, following a heavy ground stroke to the net and putting away a volley. Plus, when I play her, I know automatically I have to step up my game.

She said: “I’m going to go and take care of my forearm first”.

Sharapova said her lopsided record against Williams is, not surprisingly, a source of frustration.

“I think the person who’s winning could definitely feel the pressure because there is a lot of expectations. Certainly I was trying to just concentrate on the match when I was out there, but, like I said, it’s been a hard, hard few days”. “So I think it will be a long match and it will be a good match to see where I am”. “It’s not a stat that’s set in stone – I still have to win two matches”. “She doesn’t give you many angles”.