Maria Sharapova couldn’t have started any worse in Thursday’s Wimbledon semifinal against Serena Williams.
Three double faults gave Williams an early break point in the first game and it was all downhill from there for the Russian superstar.
Williams cruised to a victory in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) to reach the Wimbledon final for the eighth time in her legendary career. She will play 21-year-old Garbine Muguruza of Spain in Saturday’s final.
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Williams now has won 17 straight matches against Sharapova, in what has been a very one-sided rivalry since the Russian pulled off a stunning upset of Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final as an 18-year-old.
Williams is 18-2 overall against Sharapova for her career, including 3-1 record in Grand Slam tournament finals. Sharapova has managed to win just a single set against Williams in their last 13 matches.
The next step for Williams is to beat Muguruza for her fourth straight Grand Slam tournament crown and complete a second “Serena Slam.” A win Saturday also would give Williams a chance to become the first woman to win a calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988.
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