Serena to face Sharapova in Australian Open final

January 29, 2015 09:48 am | Updated November 16, 2021 05:19 pm IST - MELBOURNE

Maria Sharapova of Russia makes a forehand return to her compatriot Ekaterina Makarova during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on Thursday.

Maria Sharapova of Russia makes a forehand return to her compatriot Ekaterina Makarova during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on Thursday.

Top seed Serena Williams beat fellow American Madison Keys 7-6(5) 6-2 to reach the Australian Open final on Thursday.

Williams will now face Maria Sharapova for the title after the Russian second seed beat compatriot Ekaterina Makarova earlier on Rod Laver Arena

Sharapova crushes Makarova

Earlier, Maria Sharapova reached the Australian Open final for the fourth time, beating fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-2 in a lopsided semifinal on Thursday.

The second-ranked Sharapova needed 10 minutes to hold her opening service game, fending off two break points. She responded to the only service break against her in the first set by winning six straight games to take the match away from the 10th-seeded Makarova, who has taken one only set off her in five previous matches.

Sharapova won the Australian Open title in 2008 and lost in the finals in 2007 and 2012. She opened the season by winning the Brisbane International title.

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