Serena Williams is playing tennis on another level compared to the rest of the women’s field, according to Agnieszka Radwanska who suffered a 6-0 6-4 rout at the hands of the American in the Australian Open semi-finals earlier today.
Advertisement
Jamie Murray and Brazil’s Bruno Soares are through to the men’s doubles final at the Australian Open after a 6-3, 6-1 win over the French team of Adrian Mannarino and Lucas Pouille. She won 107 singles titles, including the Australian Open in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1994, before retiring in 1999. For the first set, Williams gave her no options. Most spectators – including a woman with a sign reading: “Just Married But Willing to Exchange for Federer” – were behind him, applauding Djokovic’s service faults and giving Federer a standing ovation when he broke to go ahead 4-2 in the third set.
The end came quickly in the fourth.
Angelique Kerber knows she faces a daunting task trying to beat 21-time major champion Serena Williams in her first Grand Slam final on Saturday. Agnieszka won the title in Shenzhen to begin this year and has dropped just one set in this tournament so far against Anna-Lena Friedsam in the fourth round.
“For me, this was definitely a great tournament”.
Federer said he wasn’t surprised by Djokovic’s early blitz. “But otherwise I didn’t really think that I was playing bad”.
Raonic won the first set on his second set point when he challenged an out call on his serve, and replays showed to have hit most of the line. “But for now, you know, I’d rather have this than something else because it means I’m doing well”.
In keeping with the way this Australian Open has been going, Andy Murray was asked following a quarterfinal win Wednesday about the state of his game. She’s through to her 7th #ausopen final.
“I definitely block it out”, Williams replied to a question about equaling Graf’s mark. If I don’t win on Saturday, I’ll still be one off. It took me forever to get to 18 [and draw level with Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert]. It wasn’t enough however, as Williams curbed her unforced errors and then launched a serving assault which closed out the contest.
“Mentally I needed a break after the Open, physically I just feel so good”.
“My goal is to win my first grand slam”. Kerber said Graf “is still in shape and she is hitting very hard and moving still like she was moving a few years ago”.
“I think it’s good, especially that I did semi-finals here and I won the tournament (Shenzhen) before”, she said of her form.
“She took out a really tough opponent in Victoria [Azarenka]”, Williams said.
Other opponents have also paid tribute to Williams, sentiments the veteran said were rewarding.
“She goes on court and she just wants to kill it”, Radwanska said.
Advertisement
After a devastating US Open semi-final defeat to Roberta Vinci, which ended her pursuit of a calendar Grand Slam, not achieved since Graf in 1988, a drained Williams took a break from the game, only returning this month. I think she started unbelievably, with such a power and speed.
