It’s Serena vs Kerber

The dominant top seed was untouchable in overpowering the Pole 6-0, 6-4 in just 64 minutes on Rod Laver Arena to set up a decider against German seventh seed Angelique Kerber. 

Later, Angelique Kerber ended Johanna Konta’s fairytale run with a 7-5 6-2 victory to earn a place in her first grand slam final. Kerber, the first German woman to reach the Melbourne title decider in 20 years, subdued the British main draw debutante in 82 minutes. 

Kerber kept her composure, however, and secured a decisive break for 6-5 in the first set before overwhelming the world number 47 in the second, sealing victory when Konta went long with a backhand return. 

The writing was on the wall for Radwanska — Williams had never lost a semi-final at Melbourne Park on her way to six titles, and had beaten the Pole in each of their previous eight meetings. She crushed long-time rival Maria Sharapova in the quarter-finals and dished out the same treatment to Radwanska, halting her 13-match win streak in emphatic fashion. The victory puts her just one win away from matching Steffi Graf’s Open-era Grand Slam record of 22 titles, with Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 edging closer. 

In her 16th Australian Open, Williams, who said this week she had no plans to retire any time soon, got on the front foot immediately, and effortlessly. Within a minute of the match starting she had a break point as she hit clean winners and attacked the net. It was the worst possible opening for Radwanska, with Williams, breaking and then using her huge power advantage to easily hold serve, racing 2-0 clear with a smash at the net.