Melbourne: American top seed Serena Williams bludgeoned into the Australian Open last four Wednesday, destroying last year’s finalist Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets as she zeroes in on a 19th Grand Slam crown.
Fired-up after seeing sister Venus lose her quarter-final clash, Williams stomped out and proceeded to club Cibulkova 6-2, 6-2, cannoning down 15 aces and blasting 31 winners in a merciless display.
The emphatic win sets up a clash with Venus’ conqueror, unseeded American teenager Madison Keys, in Williams’ sixth career semi-final at Melbourne Park.
The 33-year-old has gone on to win the title every other time she has reached the last four in Australia, although her last triumph came in 2010 and the years since have been mediocre by her exacting standards.
“It’s finally good to get past the quarter-finals or the fourth round,” she said.
Rising American teenager Madison Keys struck a blow for generation next when she defeated childhood idol Venus to make the Australian Open semi-finals.
The unseeded 19-year-old overcame an injury scare to down the 18th seed in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 rollercoaster to set up a final four clash with the rampant top seed Serena Williams, out to avenge her sister’s loss.
“The moment’s definitely sweeter being able to play Venus,” Keys said after defeating the 34-year-old seven-time Grand Slam winner she grew up watching in Rock Island, Illinois.
“It’s amazing, obviously I was very nervous coming out but I had to embrace the moment and I did and I get to enjoy another moment in the next round.”
Williams was in no mood to hang around as she battles a cold, peppering the so-called “pocket rocket” Cibulkova with missiles of her own, including a 199km/h (124mp/h) scorcher.
“I played well. I felt I had to,” Williams said, barely able to speak because of a virus, which she said had not affected her game.
“I feel like when you’re going up against a player like that who is confident on the court — she just had a few good matches — I knew that I needed to really play well or go home.”
Cibulkova, 25, who was on a high after downing two-time Australian champion Victoria Azarenka in the previous round, admitted: “I didn’t have a chance to play my game.
“When she has a day like this, it’s tough to play against her,” she added. “I tried to change something on return, but it didn’t work out. She just didn’t give me any time to breathe on the court today.”
The world number one looked focused from the outset and avoided the sluggish starts that marred her earlier matches.
Cibulkova, who went into the match with a 4-0 losing record against Williams, began nervously with two double faults in the opening game, managing to cling on to hold serve.
But Williams effortlessly broke Cibulkova in the second and fourth games, pouncing on the Slovak’s weak second serve and giving her opponent no chances during her own service games.
She cracked down eight aces in the first set, including three in the final game to go up 6-2 after 28 minutes.
The massacre continued in the second set, as Williams broke in the opening game and never looked back.
She said she would seek out Venus before contesting her 26th Grand Slam semi-final and ask for advice on handling Keys after her sister pushed the 19-year-old to three sets in their quarter-final.
“For sure I’ll ask her,” she said. “I’ll also ask my coach [Patrick Mouratouglou], who has been steering me these last two weeks. I’m really excited to be in the semis.”
