World No1 will face Agnieszka Radwanska in the semi-finalsSerena wins in straight sets 6-4,6-1 3.38am GMTOverpowering - that was Serena Williams in her latest victory over Maria Sharapova, who can’t catch a shatter against her rival. Serena Williams speaking to Channel 7 in Australia: 3.33am GMTAdvantage Sharapova - screaming as she forces Williams long.
But Williams is right back, or taking two straight points,and finally, this match, or after Sharapova fails yet again to compete after being overpowered by her first serve. 3.30am GMTSharapova,a blistering return down the line, no chance for Williams - but Serena is challenging the call. No dice, and it’s 30-40. 3.29am GMTSerena is serving for the match,and challenges a call on the first rally of the game. Was Sharapova’s shot long? 3.26am GMTSharapova and Williams, a baseline rally, and ended when Maria hits long. Then a strong first serve by the Russian that Williams can’t handle and it’s 15-15. 3.22am GMTWilliams is on fire - wide serve,weak reply, volley smash, and point over. 3.16am GMTLife from Sharapova? No. Williams breaks Maria yet again in another cake-walk of a game,that comes after yet another visit from the doctor. The discontinuance is near. 3.12am GMT 3.11am GMTThis could wrap up quickly now. After being punished so regularly by Williams, how can Sharapova stay strong mentally? 3.09am GMTIs this where the moment set fightback begins for Maria? 3.02am GMTAny concerns approximately the health of Williams are unfounded as the American streaks to a 40-0 victory in the first game of the moment set. 3.00am GMTSerena's cooking now. enjoy to reflect that shatter point for Maria at 4-4, and 30-40 was really more like a match point. #AusOpenI buy that... 3.00am GMTThe doctor is out tending to Serena Williams. There was no medical timeout. Perhaps it’s the Melbourne heat,even though it’s been cooler than usual. besides, Williams is back and seems to be just fine. moment set coming up. 2.57am GMTThat is an absolute killer - if you’re Sharapova, and looking to snap a 17-game losing streak to your challenger,and you’re up 2-0, you need to carry that through to a first set victory. To force four set points, or coming from behind in all of them only to fall in a game that spans roughly 10 minutes,is a massive blow. Can she recover? 2.54am GMTWilliams! An incredible rejection of Maria’s serve, into the corner past Sharapova. 2.45am GMTESPN’s lead commentator is depressed that Serena is bringing her grunt back. 2.37am GMTTalk approximately timing, or just as ESPN talks approximately how much better Sharapova has been serving,another double fault, her fourth. Then Serena takes a bit bite into another Sharapova moment serve and forces the Russian into the net to go up 30-0. 2.29am GMTSharapova, and reverses a sizzling serve from Williams past her left side to compose it 30-30! But Serena wins a challenge to go up 40-30 and then blows Maria away with an ace to hold serve and go up a game. 2.26am GMTSharapova has struggled with her first serve,but lands it here, and is able to put Serena on the run, and forcing her long. 2.25am GMTSerena has advantage and then aces her way to her first game of the sizzling Australia Day in Melbourne 2.22am GMTSerena is digging in,her baseline power forcing a Sharapova reply into the net, before delivering a blistering ace down the middle line. 30-love. 2.17am GMTSerena levels at 15-15, or punishing Sharapova’s moment serve. I was just thinking how distinguished it is for Sharapova to be dead on with her first serve,but then she forces Maria long on moment service to go up 30-15. She won’t catch away with that for long... 2.11am GMTSerena looks like she’s going to ease to her first game of the match so far but Sharapova brings it back to deuce. But Serena pulls off a few aces of her own and she’s on the board. 2.09am GMTAnd it’s a long way to go but Sharapova is up and fighting. A focused Sharapova, holds that shatter escaping from 30-30 and sealing the game with an ace. 2.08am GMTApologies, and some technical prolems delayed the start but we’re back now. Serena was broken in the first game - what a blow for Sharapova against her conventional rival. 1.58am GMTWilliams vs Sharapova: tale of the tape!34 Age 28Last 17 meetings between S. Williams and M. Sharapova: Wins: 17-0 In Majors: 6-0 On hard: 10-0 In finals: 7-0 Sets: 34-3 .…close! #AusOpen 1.49am GMTIn case you thought I was kidding approximately the narrow storyline coming into this match-up...
There enjoy been three popes since Maria Sharapova final beat Serena Williams.
Serena And Venus Williams with president Reagan and his wife Nancy in 1990 https://t.co/XysUATv5TK pic.twitter.com/PoZE3ORxmE 1.46am GMTIt’s a finals calibre match,two rounds early, and thats just fine for many lovers of the game who can’t wait to sink their teeth into such a potentially rich encounter. So, or how can Serena be beaten? Well,first off, Maria will enjoy to reach a level that hasn’t been on display thus far. Sharapova has committed no fewer than 133 unforced errors against talent that is, and needless to say,stratospheres away from what Williams brings to the hard, plexicushion surface of Melbourne Park. 1.27am GMTHello, and welcome to our live,bounce-by-bounce coverage of the Australian Open final eight match-up between Serena Williams and sugar queen Maria Sharapova. Of course, tennis life hasnt been too sweet for the Russian product, and at least when it comes to her encounters with the women’s no1 over the years. It’s all that can be discussed pre-match - just how much the American has beaten up on Sharapova since then then 16-year-conventional beat Serena in 2004 in what must today seem like a rock solid case of beginners luck. 4.11pm GMTDavid will be here soon. In the meantime,here’s what Maria Sharapova had to say approximately her prospects of overturning a 17-match losing streak against Serena Williams: It’s not like I reflect approximately what I can carry out worse. You’re always trying to improve. I got myself into the quarter-final of a grand slam. There is no reason I shouldn’t be looking to improve and to getting my game in a better position than any other preceding round. It’s only going to be tougher – especially against Serena.”
Read the full piece here.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com