Serena Williams underlined the difference in class and power between her and the rest of the women's field, with a 6-0 6-4 demolition of fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska on Thursday to reach her seventh Australian Open final.
Williams romped through the first set in just 20 minutes before Radwanska showed some fight in the second, but she was unable to stop the momentum of the American, who clinched her place in the final in 64 minutes.
Williams racked up points with her typical aggressive and attacking play, marched up the court after many of her returns to close down space on the Polish world number four.
Radwanka after the first set onslaught looked bemused and frustrated, before lifting in the second to hold serve on a few occasions and taking the lead on two occasions. It wasn't enough however, as Williams curbed her unforced errors and then launched a serving assault which closed out the contest.
The 26-year-old Radwanska lost the first set in just 20 minutes on Rod Laver Arena before she got some momentum back in the second set but was unable to stop Williams' march to her seventh final at Melbourne Park.
"She goes on court and she just wants to kill it," Radwanska told reporters after her 64-minute loss at the hands of the world number one.
"There was just no mistake. Unbelievable serve. Everything, she was going for it. Yeah, I couldn't do much. Not at all, actually.
"I don't think anyone can really play on that kind of level at all."
Radwanska had been bidding to advance to her second grand slam final, after Wimbledon 2012, but once Williams broke in the first game the writing appeared to be on the wall. Radwanska's fastest serve in the first game topped out at 140kph. Williams, who blasted 42 winners in all, was sending it back at more than 130kph.
"I think she started unbelievable, with such a power and speed. I was just standing there kind of watching her playing," Radwanska added. "When I was serving, everything is just going to your side with that kind of power, so deep that you cannot do anything."
Every time the American has made the final at Melbourne Park she has gone on to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
Victory in Saturday's final against either seventh seed Angelique Kerber or unseeded Briton Johanna Konta, would give her a 22nd grand slam title, moving her to a tie with Steffi Graf for the most in the Open era.
-
Follow Joy Sports on Twitter: @JoyFMSports. Our hashtag is #JoySports
Latest Stories
-
US returns $50m in alleged stolen funds to Nigeria
3 minutes -
Mahama restructures Ministries, reduced from 30 to 23 – See full list
10 minutes -
2 siblings die after being locked in water drum by 6-year-old sister
30 minutes -
Mahama shouldn’t have openly directed Parliament to elect Speaker – Prof. Kwaku Asare
46 minutes -
Daily Insight for CEOs: The power of delegation – Empowering leaders within your organization
52 minutes -
Livestream: Newsfile discusses inaugurations, prisoner pardon and failed CJ petition
1 hour -
Revisiting the forensic audit EC will increase credibility of future elections – Omane Boamah
3 hours -
Africa Food Systems Parliamentary Network urges governments to increase investment in agriculture
11 hours -
AU and partners urge youth to get involved in efforts to transform continent’s food systems
11 hours -
Fire kills 3-year-old at Asawase-Dagomba Line in Ashanti Region
12 hours -
Paskal A.B. Rois: How Mahama inspires me
12 hours -
Complete abandoned projects in Akatsi North District – Chiefs to Mahama
12 hours -
Painter and sculptor B. Acheampong turning his passion for art into profitable venture
13 hours -
Presidential lodge, RM residency in Ashanti region left to rot away
13 hours -
Herty Corgie highlights the essence of gratefulness in ‘My Gratitude’
15 hours