Dominant Serena Williams To Face Angelique Kerber In 2016 Australian Open Final
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No surprises in the women’s semifinals today as favorites Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber both advanced to Saturday final in straight sets.
After a day off yesterday, Serena was on first and she came out swinging against Agnieszka Radwanska, jumping out to a 7-0 lead before the World No. 4 got her teeth into the match.
Serena’s lull didn’t last long as she broke Radwanska late to win the match 6-0, 6-4 to reach her 26th career Grand Slam final.
“I think I played well in the beginning, especially in the first set,” Serena said. “I was able to do everything that I needed to do. I was really hitting just all the right shots, making little to no errors, which is kind of hard to play like that. But it was good.
“She started playing better. It was good for me mentally as well because I was able to recover and do well again.”
Serena hasn’t lost a set and other than that Vinci loss, she’s been unbeatable in Grand Slam play the last year. That’s pretty good for a 34-year-old!
“I never thought I was going to go out and lose in the first round, but at the same time I never thought before, I’m going to make it to the final, or anything. I was just playing literally a point at a time”
Serena is now just one win from a 7th Australian Open title and more importantly, a 22nd career Grand Slam which would tie her with Steffi Graf for most in the Open Era.
“I was one off last year, too,” Serena said. “If I don’t win on Saturday, I’ll still be one off. It took me forever to get to 18. I was so stressed out. I don’t want to relive that at all.”
Radwanska, who was playing her second Australian Open final, has never beaten Serena in nine tries.
“I think the only thing that I could do better is if I put more first serves, that would help for sure,” Radwanska said. “But otherwise I didn’t really think that I was playing bad. I think she started unbelievable, with such a power and speed. I was just standing there kind of watching her playing.
“I had my little chance in second set, especially when it was 4-All. But otherwise just too good.
In the final Serena will take on Angelique Kerber who ended the run of Brit Cinderella Johanna Konta 7-5, 6-2.
Playing in her first semifinal, Konta fell behind early 3-0 before roaring back to take a 4-3 lead. But Kerber’s experience proved essential as she won 10 of the last 13 games to reach her first Grand Slam final.
“That’s a special moment, a special feeling to get there right now, to being in the final,” Kerber said. “I’m four years in the top 10. I was not playing so good last year in the big tournaments.”
Serena leads 5-1 having lost to the German at Cincinnati in 2012.
“She took out a really tough opponent in Victoria,” Serena said. ‘You can’t underestimate Kerber. She’s beaten me before, too, and pretty good. I know that she brings a lot, you know, to the game. Her being lefty definitely helps out as well. I haven’t played any lefties yet. But we’ll see. I think if I do play her, it will be a really good match. It definitely won’t be easy.”
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