Defending champion Williams produced an awe-inspiring performance to beat fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0 6-4 in the semi-finals on Thursday. Radwanska advanced earlier in the day with a 6-1, 6-3 win over No. 10 Carla Suarez Navarro, thereby becoming the first Polish woman to advance to the Australian Open final four.
Advertisement
“Definitely I’ve played unbelievable the first two sets, but that’s what is necessary against Roger”, said Djokovic.
Serena Williams crushed Agnieszka Radwanska in Thursday’s semifinals to reach her seventh Australian Open decider.
The first set Wednesday was no contest, over in 20 minutes. She’s been so dominant at the Australian Open this year, in fact, she’s reached the final without losing a set – something she’s never achieved in 15 previous appearances.
“She goes on court and she just wants to kill it. Going like full power for everything”, Radwanska said.
Chris Evert claimed Serena Williams wanted to beat Maria Sharapova for “personal and professional reasons” after the world No 1 romped to her 18th consecutive win over her Russian rival, writes Neil McLeman in Melbourne.
Williams’ win over fourth-seeded Radwanska provided another reminder of her dominance in the women’s game.
The American has now won 16 consecutive sets against five-time Grand Slam victor Sharapova – and came within a game of a humiliating second-set bagel on Tuesday. “I was just standing there kind of watching her playing”.
In an instant, Williams leapt ahead of Radwanska, securing a break in the first game of their semifinal match. Her first serve percentage dropped off too, and Radwanska even managed to break Williams in the sixth game of the set.
Williams converted at the first time of asking, driving a volley into the corner, before squatting on her feet and screaming in celebration as she stands on the brink of a seventh Australian Open triumph.
Williams is 25-4 in Grand Slam semifinal matches.
In contrast, Radwanska has been the in form player since last year’s US Open, winning four titles in Asia.
Both players struggled with their ball toss at one end, repeatedly practicing their toss to work out the best position to serve into the sun.
She clinched the match in one hour, 22 minutes on her serve when Konta’s backhand went long – her 22nd unforced error of the set. “I don’t think anyone (else) can really play on that level”.
After beating Britain’s Johanna Konta 7-5 6-2, Kerber was asked on court if Graf might give her some tips on how to beat Williams. Williams is an overwhelming 21-4 in major championships, having last lost in a title tilt at the 2011 U.S. Open, before she linked up with current coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Advertisement
Making the semis was still a good result for Radwanska, who had done so just three other times in her career – at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2015, and here in Melbourne in 2014.
