Serena overpowers Azarenka to reach semi-finals – Tennis – Eurosport Australia

Serena Williams’ latest Grand Slam match against Victoria Azarenka ended the same way as the previous nine – with Williams walking off as the victor.

Wimbledon women’s draw top seed Serena Williams has overpowered Victoria Azarenka in an absorbing quarterfinal, recovering from a set down to win 3-6 6-2 6-3.

Williams piled up a total of 46 winners and had only 12 unforced errors.

Azarenka must have been especially annoyed at again seeing the American across the net.

The Russian buckled down and went up 3-0 in the third set.

Being the current reigning champion of the prestigious tournament, Serena’s most recent triumph might not come as a surprise – as she is arguably the most legendary female tennis player to ever exist.

Although Serena and Sharapova are arguably the most famous active female athletes in the world, their rivalry is highly lopsided.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer moved to the last eight for the 13th time, defeating Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

Though Williams’ Center Court affair with Azarenka lacked the controversy of their duel in Paris, ill temper did feature on the main arena during Sharapova’s 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 win over another US player, CoCo Vandeweghe.

The Swiss, who reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open last month, said it did not matter that one out of her, Muguruza, Radwanska and Keys would reach the Wimbledon final.

Sharapova hardly lacks for star quality, what with her high-profile off-court relationship with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov and her “Sugarpova” range of candies.

Much of Vandeweghe’s post-match press conference centered on her displeasure with Sharapova’s antics. As of now, she holds the most major singles, doubles and mixed doubles over any other tennis player in the game right now. “It’s a little frustrating because I know I have to play her”.

When a reporter made a passing reference to that, Serena rested her chin on her left hand and declared: “I no longer answer questions about Grand Slams”.

Sharapova was not concerned when told of the 47th-ranked Vandeweghe’s views at her press conference.

“It’s been up and down, up and down, but somehow I’m still alive”, Williams said. “What she said, I’m not going to argue against her words”.

Her best performance at Wimbledon is a pair of semi-final performances and she will be keen to go better than that this year. “We’re at Wimbledon. I remember when I was eight years old, we dreamed of this moment”.

However, the 28-year-old will need to improve a serve which has never been the same since career-threatening shoulder surgery. “I don’t know how”.

Azarenka doesn’t beat Williams often and with the form Williams has been in throughout the year it is hard to see it happening this time. What happened in the ensuing game might have been the turning point. Azarenka wouldn’t concede, and even had a break point in the final game.

As the tussle developed, Williams’ fist pumps of anguish turned into celebratory exclamation marks.

Williams erased that with an ace, one of a half-dozen in her final two service games. It will be the first Grand Slam semifinal for the 21-year-old Muguruza, who reached the quarterfinals at the last two French Opens.

On Court One, baseline-basher Muguruza beat Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky 7-5 6-3 to become the first Spanish woman to make the semifinals at Wimbledon since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1997.