Journalism of Courage
Serena Williams did not let her misfiring serve stop her from defeating Maria Sharapova 6-2 7-6 (9-7) to reach the final of the Brisbane International on Friday.
The American world number one extended her winning streak over the Russian to 14 matches. Williams prevailed despite serving poorly throughout,with Sharapova unable to take advantage in a match where there were 10 breaks of serve in total. The last time Sharapova defeated the American was when she won Wimbledon,as a 17-year-old in 2004. Despite that,Williams won the first set with ease,and it was only in the second that Sharapova was able to make any kind of an impression. She stretched Williams,who committed two double faults in the second set tie-break,but unfortunately,Sharapova returned the favour not before long as she double-faulted twice herself. After blowing two match points in the tiebreaker,one on her serve and another receiving,Williams sealed the win with an ace. She will now face world number two Victoria Azarenka,who defeated Serbias Jelena Jankovic 1-6 6-3 6-4,in Saturdays final.
The reigning Australian Open champion dropped her first three service games and was facing three breakpoints in the opening game of the second set when she shifted the momentum with a winner she picked up on a half-volley as Jankovic missed her chance to convert the break.
After holding for the first time,second-seeded Azarenka settled down and dictated most of the remainder of the match as Jankovic started to wilt in the heat. After needing 10 match points to beat Stefanie Voegele in the quarterfinals the previous night,Azarenka missed one chance to serve it out at 5-2 in the deciding set,conceding a break with a double-fault. She then missed a match point at 5-4 before finally finishing it off with a backhand crosscourt winner in just over two hours.
Venus rising Venus Williams advanced to the ASB Classic final in Auckland,New Zealand,on a walkover when fellow American Jamie Hampton withdrew from their semifinal Friday with a right hip injury. In her first final since October 2012,shell meet second-seeded Ana Ivanovic,who beat third-seeded Kirsten Flipkens 6-2,7-6 (3).
On the mens side in Brisbane,second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan reached the semifinals with a 6-4,5-7,6-2 win over Marin Cilic of Croatia and will next meet former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt,who cruised past Romanian qualifier Marius Copil 6-4,6-2. Top-seeded Roger Federer will play Australian Marinko Matosevic in a night match.
