Serena too strong for Sharapova

General / Editor / 28 March 2007 / Leave a Comment

Serena Williams took just 58 minutes to demolish top seed Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-1 and reach the Sony Ericsson Open quarter-finals.

Williams, playing in her first event since beating the world number two in the Australian Open final in January, was in no mood to hang around as she booked a last-eight showdown with eighth seed Nicole Vaidisova.

"I know her game pretty well. We've played each other a few times and I like her style," said Williams, after crushing Sharapova.
For Sharapova, who had beaten Serena's sister Venus in the previous round, it proved a disappointing end to her mission to go one better having lost in the 2005 and 2006 finals in Miami.

"Once she gets up in the set or the match she seems to steamroll," said the 20-year-old.
World number one Justine Henin went one better by beating Nadia Petrova 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) to reach the semi-finals for the first time.

The Belgian top seed will now face Anna Chakvetadze, who recorded a 4-6 7-5 6-2 win over Li Na of China.
Williams, a three-time champion in Miami, is the 1.31 outstanding choice to book her place in the last four of the competition against Vaidisova (4.1).
The 13th seed is now the 2.46 favourite to claim a fourth Sony Ericsson Open title, with Henin also coming in for support at 2.7.