Serena Dominates Radwanska; Will Face Kerber in Aussie Final

World number one Serena Williams was dialed in from her opening serve in her semifinal match, and despite a late surge from fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, the six-time champion rolled to a 6-0, 6-4 victory on Thursday to advance to the finals of the Australian Open.

Serena looked like a woman possessed from the very start. She pounced on Radwanska’s serve in the opening game, treating the Pole’s first serves like second serves, and hitting return baseline winners to get the early break. Within 20 minutes, Serena had won all six games and won the first set in dominant fashion.

Serena would go up an early break in the second set, and despite Radwanska getting the set back on serve with a break following a lapse in Serena’s game, Serena closed out the final game with a couple of aces to book her spot in the final.

“I’m really excited to be in another final; it kind of blows my mind. I just feel like I’m playing the best I can and I can’t believe I’m in the final,” said Serena. “Physically, I’m feeling a lot better, and mentally I needed that break after the U.S. Open. But I didn’t think I’d be doing so much, so fast; so thank you so much for all of your support.”

In the final, Serena will take on the seventh-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany, who defeated Great Britian’s Johanna Konta 7-5, 6-2 to reach the first Grand Slam final of her career.

After exchanging breaks early in the opening set, Kerber broke Konta at 6-5 to take the opening set. She followed it up with a break of serve in the opening game of the second set, and another break in the fifth game ensured there would be no comeback for Konta, as Kerber advanced to the final with a one hour and 20 minute straight set win.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Serena in the final. I mean, it’s just amazing to play against the No. 1 in the first Grand Slam of the year,” said Kerber, who was the only player in the current top 10 to have never reached a Grand Slam final until now. “I’m really looking forward to taking this challenge.”