It was her 18th victory in a row over the Russian.
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Sharapova will be desperate to get one over the world number one in what is a repeat of last year’s final. She was world No 1 and has won so many Grand Slams for a reason.
Third-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland beat sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Radwanska, who made the semifinals in Melbourne in 2014, will look to make her second career Grand Slam final against Serena on Thursday.
Australian Open – Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, two of the biggest names in women’s tennis today, are set to rekindle their “rivalry” in the quarterfinal round of the Australian Open on Monday at 8:45 p.m (Eastern Time) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
The six-time Melbourne Park champion heaped more misery on her long-time rival 6-4, 6-1, with the Russian fifth seed stretching her demoralising unbeaten run against the American great to 12 years.
Williams faces Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska after the No 4 seed beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3.
Sharapova’s work coming into the tournament had clearly been focused on her serve, which was much improved on the years when she was plagued by shoulder issues and which earned her 21 aces in her fourth round match on Sunday.
But Williams used nine aces in the first set alone to take the opener, 6-4, though not before Sharapova fought off three set points.
Williams called out the physio before the start of the second set but when play resumed it was Sharapova who struggled, as she was broken in the second game and then again in the fourth, with Williams storming into a 5-0 lead.
From there, Williams protected her own serve – even as a baby wailed in the stands in the ninth game as she faced breakpoints – and took high-risk options with her service returns to unsettle Sharapova.
Games then continued on serve, although Sharapova saved three points in the eighth game to hold for 4-4. “She makes you go back to the drawing board, not just for me, but for many other players”, she said. In the first round she knocked down world No. 36 Camila Giorgi 6-4, 7-5 with the match against the Italian her closest all tournament. “Hopefully I can play my best tennis or I’ll be in trouble”, said the popular 26-year-old, who is on a 13-match win streak. Aga has more experience, is a better player, and CSN is a little banged up. The American will play Agniezska Radwanska in the semifinal.
“It was super intense”, the 21 Grand Slam victor reflected later.
She says, “Right now I have nothing to lose. He’s just proving how great a player he is, how hard at this time it is to play him”, Berdych said.
Catch up on all of the action, news and results from the first day of quarterfinals matches at the 2016 Australian Open on Tuesday that you may have missed while you were sleeping. “You know, I feel exhausted”, Suarez Navarro said after the match.
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Williams has won the title each the six previous times she’s won in the quarterfinals here.
