World number one Serena Williams muscled past Maria Sharapova for an 18th straight time Tuesday to set up an Australian Open semi-final against Agnieszka Radwanska, who has never beaten the dominant American.
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In the women’s semifinals, Williams will be facing fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat No. 10 Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-3.
Ominously for her rivals, Mouratoglou said Williams’ level this year in the infancy of the campaign is better than in 2015, when she won three majors and came within two victories of achieving the rare calendar year grand slam.
Williams, who played her first grand slam at the 1998 Australian Open, said she had surprised even herself by continuing to play well into her thirties.
“Something about her game”, Williams, bidding for a 22nd grand slam title in Melbourne, said to reporters when asked why she has so much success against Sharapova. Second seed and four-time finalist Murray defeated the home hope 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(4) in two hours and 30 minutes for a place in his seventh straight quarter-final at Melbourne Park. “If she wins, I’ll be very happy for her. I’m sure she’ll feel the same way”.
In her fourth-round victory against No. 12 Belinda Bencic, she had a career-high 21 aces. “Personally, I didn’t think I’d be playing at this age”.
Berdych had won their past two meetings at Grand Slams but the most recent of those was four years ago, and Federer remained a solid favourite having won their past four matches.
On a baking hot day in Melbourne, Sharapova raced out of the blocks, breaking Williams to 15 before holding with an ace to take a 2-0 lead.
Early in the set, points were short. Doesn’t matter who I’m playing, I just try to go out there and play the best I can. I’ve done everything that I didn’t want to do, you know. Against Williams, she hit three aces-and seven double faults.
“I think he’s still on a pretty high level, playing great tennis.
I still have to win two matches against potentially two extremely tough opponents”, she said.
At 34 years, 176 days, Federer is the oldest Aussie Open semifinalist since Colin Dibley in 1979.
“She makes you work. He’s just proving how great a player he is, how hard at this time it is to play him”, Berdych said.
But that approach is what has helped win her 21 major titles, and Williams’ aggressive returns finally helped her convert on her fourth set point, following a heavy ground stroke to the net and putting away a volley.
Growing into the match, Williams piled the pressure on Sharapova’s serve but the Russian came from 0-40 down in the eighth game to scrape a gutsy hold.
When the men’s draw for the tournament was made, eyes were drawn to a potential Federer-Djokovic clash in the semifinals.
Federer is bidding to win his 5th Australian Open and his first Grand Slam since 2012 Wimbledon.
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Djokovic thus rebounded from his whopping 100 unforced errors in a five-set win Sunday against French counterpuncher Gilles Simon.
