Williams Beats Sharapova, Advances At Wimbledon
Published on July 10 2015 6:24 am
Last Updated on July 10 2015 6:25 am
Serena Williams is just one win away from another Grand Slam milestone. The top-ranked Williams maintained her 11-year dominance over Maria Sharapova, beating the Russian 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday to reach her eighth Wimbledon championship match and 25th career Grand Slam final.
In beating Sharapova for the 17th straight time, the five-time Wimbledon champion won her 26th consecutive Grand Slam match and is now going for a fourth straight major title -- a "Serena Slam" -- and the third-leg of a calendar-year Grand Slam.
"At least I made it to a final of four," Williams said. "That's pretty good. That's pretty good."
Williams served 13 aces, including three in the final game, had 29 winners and never faced a break point in overpowering the fourth-seeded Sharapova, who hit six double-faults and couldn't find a way to cope with her rival's relentless pace.
"When she stepped up her game, I was able to step up mine as well," Williams said.
It will be Williams' first appearance in the Wimbledon final since 2012, when she won the last of her titles. Williams' opponent will be 21-year-old Garbine Muguruza, who beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the first semifinal. She's the first Spanish woman to advance to the Wimbledon final since Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in 1996.
Williams has won two out her three matches against Muguruza, but the Spaniard beat her 6-2, 6-2 in the second round of the French Open last year. That was Williams' most lopsided loss in a Grand Slam.
Murray Vs. Federer
It's a semifinal that is too close to call: Andy Murray, the home hero, versus the universally popular Roger Federer, and even the Centre Court crowd likely will be split over whom to support.
Federer, whose most recent Grand Slam title came in 2012, when he beat Murray at the All England Club, hopes to win Friday and go on to score an eighth Wimbledon title, and an 18th Grand Slam, on Sunday. Murray, revitalised after turning to Amelie Maursemo as a coach and recovering from a back operation, is looking to win his first Grand Slam in two years.
