Serena wallops Sharapova to reach semis at Aussie Open

Serena Williams proved too much to handle for Maria Sharapova, as she crushed the Russian 6-4 6-1, in their quarter-final match at the Australian Open.

Williams boasts a ideal six-from-six record in Australian Open deciders, including last year’s title match against Russian Maria Sharapova. But Williams then found her groove and didn’t look back, breaking from a deuce with multiple aces to finally get on the board.

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.

Third-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland beat sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4.

The tiebreaker will be tricky.

With Sharapova again swatted aside, the 34-year-old Williams, gunning to match Steffi Graf’s Open-era Grand Slam record of 22 titles, now has the composed Pole in her sights. The question is: Do you come in off a low ball because you’re being dragged in, or are you coming in on your terms?

The signs are not good for Radwanska, who easily disposed of Spanish 10th seed Carla Suarez 6-1, 6-3 win on Rod Laver Arena. “She was world number one and has won so many Grand Slams for a reason”, said Williams.

Williams is 8-0 against Radwanska, including their meeting in the 2012 Wimbledon final.

“I feel like if it was five-all, the momentum would have been a little bit different than going into where she played a really great beginning of the second set”, Sharapova said.

French Open champion Wawrinka was the only man to beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam match previous year – the final at Roland Garros – and the last man to beat him at Melbourne Park after 2010. “I’ve been playing all week aggressive but I didn’t start out that way”. Plus, when I play her, I know automatically I have to step up my game.

She was able to protect her own serve, and go on the attack against Sharapova’, taking the high-risk rather than the high-percentage options with her returns.

Sharapova described Williams’ performance as “explosive”, but is eager to keep creating chances to overcome her rival.

Sharapova hit only three Tuesday to go along with seven double faults. Sharapova then escaped a 0-40 deficit to tie the set at 4-4 and had two break points for a 5-4 lead but couldn’t convert. She’s very explosive. She stays quite close to the baseline.

Sharapova never finds a way to hurt Williams.

Sharapova said: “It’s motivating because she’s at a different level”.

But she managed that against Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday by telling herself “just believe that you can beat her… just forget the score, just play and go for it and try to play the best you can play”. “Hopefully not. Unless you know something I don’t know”, she said when asked if this could be her last Australian Open. Nishikori upset the Serb at the 2014 U.S. Open but now has tasted defeat five straight times against 28-year-old.