Serena Williams Reaches Australian Open Final

For a few moments anyway, it seemed as if the ghost of Roberta Vinci had entered Melbourne Park.

After winning the first six games of her semifinal match against No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, Serena Williams began to show signs of tightness. Her groundstrokes lost some juice, and her feet moved with considerably more resistance.

Williams eventually collected herself, winning 6-0, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the Australian Open final for the seventh time.

"I was really trying to get off to a fast start," Williams said. "Every single time, you know, I would just start out down. I just really wanted to focus on when I first walk out there to be ready to go from the first point, then that way I don't necessarily have to play from behind, which I can do clearly, and I proved that last year, but I wanted to prove that I can play also ahead this year."

Early on, the only question was whether Williams, the world No. 1, would become the first player since Chris Evert in the 1984 French Open to double-bagel an opponent in a Grand Slam semifinal. But after a one-sided start, Radwanska regrouped, winning the first game of the second set and then breaking Williams three games later.

Radwanska, from Krakow, Poland, absorbed Williams' power, keeping points long and hitting the ball deep. At one point, they engaged in a sensational 15-point rally that ended with a perfectly executed and bold drop shot.

But Williams, 34, held off her opponent's charge. At 4-4, Radwanska airmailed a forehand long at break point, giving Williams a lead she would not relinquish. In the final game, Williams scorched three aces in a row and ended the match with a forehand winner she took out of the air.