The six-time Australian Open champion struggled early on against Sharapova before stamping her authority in the second set to extend her lopsided head-to-head record against the Russian to 19-2 with the one-hour, 31-minute result.
In a worrying omen for the contenders still standing between the 34-year-old and a 22nd major, in each of the six times Williams has won her Australian Open quarterfinal she has gone all the way to the title.
And of the three previous times she has faced Sharapova in a tour quarterfinal she has also gone on to claim the title.
“It was super intense. She’s an incredibly intense, focused player who was No.1 and who’s won so many Grand Slams for a reason,” Williams said. “You have to come out with a lot of fire and intensity … I think I didn’t start out that way.”
Until today, Sharapova had not lost in eight previous quarterfinals at Melbourne Park and started the better of the two.
After edging ahead 5-4 on serve, the American piled the pressure on the 28-year-old’s serve, bringing up set point with a heavy crosscourt forehand drawing the error.
Sharapova would save three set points, including one with a monster forehand return flattened down the line, but Williams would prevail on her fourth attempt, breaking with a forehand volley winner for 6-4.
source:www.ausopen.com
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