May 11, 2012 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg
American Serena Williams defeated Russian Maria Sharapova to advance at the Madrid Open semifinals in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. This is Serena’s seventh consecutive win against Sharapova and it came on the new blue-clay court surfaces. World number one-ranked Victoria Azarenka also advanced in three sets against 2011 French Open winner Li Na, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Azarenka struggled early on with her serve and was able to pull back in the next two sets to close out the match.
Sharapova evened the second set at 2-2, but was quickly stopped with a break and a double-fault which would restrict her from a comeback. Williams has improved her record to 11-0 on clay this year and will go onto play either former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur or Lucie Hradecka. Azarenka will now play either Agnieszka Radwanska or Varvara Lepchenko depending on the outcome of their quarterfinal match.
