Serena Williams is through to the Australian Open final for the loss of only 26 games in her first event since the US Open.
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Kerber will have a semifinal clash against British Johanna Konta, who ended China’s Zhang Shuai’s Australian Open dream run after a 6-4 6-1 victory.
Williams took just an hour and four minutes to dismantle Agnieszka Radwanska in Thursday’s first semifinal, 6-0, 6-4.
Radwanska’s serve was like shooting practice for the American, particularly given her first serve sat at a lowly 50 per cent in the first set, which Williams sealed to love in just 20 minutes. Of the 24 points she won, 18 came on winners. Williams would break for a 3-1 lead, but then Radwanska dug in, her crafty, all-court game impacting the brut force of Williams more and more.
“I was able to do everything that I needed to do”, Williams said.
“I thought it was going to be a really rough part [of the year]”, Williams told reporters. “I think she started unbelievable … I was just standing there kind of watching her playing”. Here she is a match from winning her 22nd career major, tying her with Steffi Graf.
Kerber is the only woman left who can preserve Graf’s grand slam record. However, she hasn’t given up hope yet and reveals that Williams is infact “inspiring”.
“Physically I am feeling better”.
While Konta lost her semi-final 7-5 6-2 to Angelique Kerber, there was plenty of upside to her fortnight at Melbourne Park.
Agnieszka Radwanska in action against Serena Williams of the USA during their semi finals round on day eleven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 28 January 2016.
Despite losing, she is set to rise from 47th in the world to inside the top 30 and would be seeded at the French Open and Wimbledon should she maintain that ranking through the summer. “I don’t feel fresh as a daisy”, she said.
Victoria Azarenka, who took Williams to three sets in three classic matches a year ago, has the only real chance of beating Williams at the tournament, but the Belarusian was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-3 7-5. She is now 25-4 in Grand Slam semis.
“She’s a tough opponent and she will win many tournaments in the future for sure”, added the German. She deserves credit for playing to her seeding here.
Williams was denied a piece of history in September when Roberta Vinci, the world No. 43, shocked her in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, Williams was two wins away from completing the calendar Grand Slam.
“She was just telling me that I’m on a good way”, Kerber said. “I reach the final for the first time”, Kerber said. “I will try to give everything, I have nothing to lose”.
World No. 2 Radwanska did show resilience in the second set, leveling proceedings at 3-3 after falling behind an early break, and pushing Williams to produce her best tennis in the final game.
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“She started playing really well in the second set, making a lot of good shots and hit really deep”. When it was put to her that there is clearly a big gap between her and Sharapova, Williams said: “There is”.
