It doesn’t get better than this!

Melbourne, January 29

Serena Williams overcame feisty teenage challenger Madison Keys to set up a dream Australian Open final with Maria Sharapova on Thursday, but seemed to be the only person surprised she had made it that far. The world No. 1 had to battle against Keys, considered the heir of the American womens' tennis, before she eventually overcame the 19-year-old 7-6(5) 6-2 to set up the final against the Russian. 

Williams, a five times champion at Melbourne Park, however, felt she entered the tournament in a funk, having played badly at the Hopman Cup in Perth earlier this month and mindful that she had crashed out to lower ranked players in the last three years.

“I didn't expect to get to the finals of this tournament when I first got here because I wasn't playing great,” she said after she made her first Melbourne Park final since 2010. “I didn't play well at Hopman. I was so off. I felt like I wasn't moving well. I just wasn't feeling great on the court.

“It's been so long since I've even been in a final here. I was kind of like, ‘oh, let me just try’ (and) my theory now is to relax and play the match as best as I can. When I step on the court and hear the announcer, I don't have to win anymore. I can just relax and have fun.” 

Fun may be the new mantra, but Williams did suffer some tense moments against her clean-hitting compatriot on Thursday. The difference was that when in trouble, Keys went for shots that were not quite on, while Williams simply backed her big serve to get her out of it.

Williams will face the woman she has tormented for over a decade in 27-year-old Sharapova, who trounced Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-2 in the first semifinal.

Five-times grand slam champion Sharapova will be hoping that her losing streak against her American nemesis, stretching back to 2004, will have no bearing come Saturday.

Sharapova, a 2008 champion at Melbourne Park, lost to Williams in the 2007 final and again in the final at the 2013 French Open. Most streaks are eventually broken and Sharapova, fit and in ominous form, took heart from her win over Makarova.

Murray storms into final 

After three heart-breaking trips to the final, Andy Murray secured another shot at Australian Open glory by overhauling Tomas Berdych on Thursday. 

Edged in a marathon first set, Murray fired up after a frosty exchange with the hard-hitting Czech and blazed to a 6-7(6) 6-0 6-3 7-5 victory under the lights of the Rod Laver Arena. 

“I changed tactics a little bit (after the first set) but also I was getting more comfortable with the conditions and Tomas's ball," Murray said courtside on a chilly, breezy night. "I made him do most of the running ... which was important." His next opponent will be decided in Friday's semifinal between world No. 1 one Novak Djokovic and champion Stan Wawrinka. — Reuters