Top seed Serena Williams recovered from a slow start to see off teenager Madison Keys and book a final showdown date with Russia’s Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open.
After breaking back on serve to tie Keys 3-3 in the first set, Williams struggled to assert control on the all American last-four tie with her opponent, ranked 35th in the world, forcing a tie-break, which the 33-year-old claimed in 45 minutes of high-octane tennis.
Williams pulled ahead in the second set 5-1, but the 19-year-old wouldn’t give in as she impressively fought off seven match points and then held serve to reduce her deficit 5-2.
Keys, who was making her Grand Slam semi-finals debut in Melbourne Park, fended off eight match points in the next game to enjoy her last bite at tenacity before the world No. 1 closed it out with an ace on her ninth match point and, through to her 23rd Major final.
Williams is 18-4 in those finals.
“I was a little frustrated at the end – I had so many match points and just couldn’t close it out, and that doesn’t usually happen,”
Williams said. “But in retrospect, she was playing very well. She served so well. I’m a really big fan of hers.
She’s so awesome, she’s so positive, just a great player.
Serena Williams In Line for a Sixth Australian Open Title. Image: Getty via Tennis Australia.
“It was an honor for me to play someone who will be ranked No.1 in the future.”
Awaiting the five-time winner is Maria Sharapova, who won comfortably in the first semi-final of the day against No. 10 seed Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-2.
The 2008 champion dominated an all Russian last 4 tie to advance into her tenth Grand Slam final. She’s 5-4 in those showdowns, completing her career Grand Slam with successes in Wimbledon in 2004, the US Open in 2006 and French pen in 2012 and 2014.
Back in Rod Laver Arena court on Thursday, Sharapova raced to a 4-1 lead, but when Makarova broke back to trim scores at 4-3, she reeled in six straight games to go 6-3, 4-0 up. Either player took their turn in breaking and holding but it was Sharapova who topped it.
Williams leads Sharapova 16-2 in their career head-to-head, with 15 victories on the trot in their previous meetings. The outcome of Saturday’s final will not influence the World No. 1 ranking regardless of the outcome.
Asked in her post-match press conference why Serena is so tough to play, Sharapova said: “I think her power and aggressiveness has always made me a little bit too aggressive, maybe going for a little bit more than I had to.
She’s great at making players hit that shot that you don’t necessarily have to go for, maybe going for a little too much, going for the line.”
Williams said: “Everyone’s going to expect me to win, but Maria is playing unbelievable. She was almost out of the tournament and came back, and she’s playing better in every single match.
“I think it’s good No.1 and No.2 will be in the final – it’ll be an exciting match.”
“It’s been a really difficult match-up for me, but I’m a competitor,” Sharapova added.
“I will go out and I will do everything I can to try to change that result around.”
A win for Serena, who is tied on 18 titles with WTA legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, will see her move up to second on the record for most Grand Slam wins in the Open Era- 3 shy of record holder Steffi Graf.
After breaking back on serve to tie Keys 3-3 in the first set, Williams struggled to assert control on the all American last-four tie with her opponent, ranked 35th in the world, forcing a tie-break, which the 33-year-old claimed in 45 minutes of high-octane tennis.
Williams pulled ahead in the second set 5-1, but the 19-year-old wouldn’t give in as she impressively fought off seven match points and then held serve to reduce her deficit 5-2.
Keys, who was making her Grand Slam semi-finals debut in Melbourne Park, fended off eight match points in the next game to enjoy her last bite at tenacity before the world No. 1 closed it out with an ace on her ninth match point and, through to her 23rd Major final.
Williams is 18-4 in those finals.
“I was a little frustrated at the end – I had so many match points and just couldn’t close it out, and that doesn’t usually happen,”
Williams said. “But in retrospect, she was playing very well. She served so well. I’m a really big fan of hers.
She’s so awesome, she’s so positive, just a great player.
Serena Williams In Line for a Sixth Australian Open Title. Image: Getty via Tennis Australia.
“It was an honor for me to play someone who will be ranked No.1 in the future.”
Awaiting the five-time winner is Maria Sharapova, who won comfortably in the first semi-final of the day against No. 10 seed Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-2.
The 2008 champion dominated an all Russian last 4 tie to advance into her tenth Grand Slam final. She’s 5-4 in those showdowns, completing her career Grand Slam with successes in Wimbledon in 2004, the US Open in 2006 and French pen in 2012 and 2014.
Back in Rod Laver Arena court on Thursday, Sharapova raced to a 4-1 lead, but when Makarova broke back to trim scores at 4-3, she reeled in six straight games to go 6-3, 4-0 up. Either player took their turn in breaking and holding but it was Sharapova who topped it.
Williams leads Sharapova 16-2 in their career head-to-head, with 15 victories on the trot in their previous meetings. The outcome of Saturday’s final will not influence the World No. 1 ranking regardless of the outcome.
Asked in her post-match press conference why Serena is so tough to play, Sharapova said: “I think her power and aggressiveness has always made me a little bit too aggressive, maybe going for a little bit more than I had to.
She’s great at making players hit that shot that you don’t necessarily have to go for, maybe going for a little too much, going for the line.”
Williams said: “Everyone’s going to expect me to win, but Maria is playing unbelievable. She was almost out of the tournament and came back, and she’s playing better in every single match.
“I think it’s good No.1 and No.2 will be in the final – it’ll be an exciting match.”
“It’s been a really difficult match-up for me, but I’m a competitor,” Sharapova added.
“I will go out and I will do everything I can to try to change that result around.”
A win for Serena, who is tied on 18 titles with WTA legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, will see her move up to second on the record for most Grand Slam wins in the Open Era- 3 shy of record holder Steffi Graf.
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