If recent history is anything indication, then the women’s Australian Open quarterfinal matchup between No. 1 Serena Williams and No. 5 Maria Sharapova is a foregone conclusion.
Serena, who is currently priced at -400 at online shop Sportsbook, has recorded 17-straight victories against Sharapova (+320), a streak that dates back to 2004. In all, Williams owns an 18-2 edge in 20 all-time meetings between the two tennis stars.
The pair has met three times in the Aussie Open with Williams posting a 3-0 record to date. The most recent meeting was last year’s final, which saw Williams triumph 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
In the 2007 final, Williams rolled to a 6-1, 6-2 victory, while the 2005 semifinal was a tougher task, but the American came out on top in a 2-6, 7-5, 8-6 thriller.
Sharapova has demonstrated some dominant form during the Open, cruising to early round victories against Nao Hibino and Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She lost her only set in the third round against Lauren Davis in a 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0 contest before dispatching Belinda Bencic 7-5, 7-5 in the fourth round.
Williams has yet to be tested and final scores suggest her first-round meeting with Camila Giorgi was her toughest challenge. Williams won 6-4, 7-5 in her opener, but has dropped just eight games since that Sportsbook round victory.
Surely Sharapova poses more of a challenge than any of Serena’s opponents to date in Melbourne, but the Russian still has some hard work ahead of her if she wishes to halt her struggles against the American.
