By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, January 23, 2016
Serena Williams swept Margarita Gasparyan, 6-2, 6-1, to score her 11th straight Australian Open win and set up a quarterfinal clash with Maria Sharapova.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Serena Williams has taken a minimalist approach to this Australian Open.
The world No. 1 helped design the Nike canary-colored crop top she's worn soaring through the field.
More: Sharapova Withstands Bencic Test to Reach Quarterfinals
The top seed has transformed Rod Laver Arena into an austerity zone for the opposition.
Cutting off the angles decisively, Williams ripped through 12 of the final 14 games dismissing Margarita Gasparyan, 6-2, 6-1, to roll into her 10th Australian Open quarterfinal.
It was Williams' 11th straight Australian Open victory. The defending champion has been in devastating form ignited by fast starts in most of her matches.
"I think I played well in the first week," Serena told ESPN's Pam Shriver immediately afterward. "I think my first match (a 6-4, 7-5 victory over 35th-ranked Camila Giorgi) was key against a really tough opponent. I just had to jump in head first. I had no other choice but to go for it."
The six-time champion has played with ruthless control permitting just 17 games through four rounds setting up a quarterfinal clash with Maria Sharapova in a rematch of the 2015 final.
"It will be a good match," Williams said. "She played a good game today. We'll have fun."
Sharapova slammed a career-high 21 aces subduing 12th-seeded Belinda Bencic, 7-5, 7-5, to advance to her eighth Australian Open quarterfinal.
"I saw (Sharapova) had so many aces today; I better be ready," Williams told Shriver. "My serve wasn't where I wanted it to be. She's playing well. I'm happy for her."
Although she dropped the opening game today, Williams answered breaking back immediately. Knowing the 6-foot Russian needs time to uncoil on her loopy backswings, Williams worked the width of the court to drain errors.
Freezing her opponent with a forehand drop shot, Williams held in the third game. Then, she picked up the pace of her drives breaking for 3-1.
Timing her returns sharply, particularly off the forehand, Williams won 13 of 16 points played on Gasparyan's second serve and broke serve five times. Swatting off a smash, she held for 4-1. Williams won nine of 11 trips to net sealing a one-set lead after a half hour.
Dictating play in running rallies, Williams raced through the second set. Quick off the mark, a scrambling Serena drew a backhand error to score her fifth break for a commanding 5-1 advantage.
Spiking an angled smash off the bounce, Williams earned double match point. She slammed a serve down the middle that rattled Gasparyan's racquet to end an impressive 55-minute thrashing.
Williams gave fans a twirl and a wave to celebrate before setting her sights on Sharapova.
Sharapova is the world's highest-paid female athlete, but she just can't buy a win against her long-time nemesis. The world No. 1 has treated the five-time Grand Slam champion as a personal punching bag in reeling off 17 straight wins, since she suffered a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 loss in the WTA Tour Championships final in November, 2004.
Since that defeat, a ruthless Serena has won 34 of 37 sets they've played, including a 6-3, 7-6 (5) triumph in the Australian Open final last February, dispensing 11 years of scar tissue and holding a commanding 18-2 edge in their rivalry.
Sharapova says she's not dwelling on a dismal past with Williams; she's trying to stress the positives ahead of their 21st meeting.
"It's not like I think about what I can do worse," Sharapova said. "You're always trying to to improve. I got myself into the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. There is no reason I shouldn't be looking to improve and to getting my game in a better position than any other previous round. It's only going to be tougher, especially against Serena."
Riding a wave of 37 victories in her last 38 major matches, Williams continues her quest to equal Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles.
"I just bring confidence and just staying relaxed through it and just doing my best that's really all I can do," Williams told Shriver afterward. "Hopefully, I'll be able to come out on top."