News & Photos
Day 8 - (3) Serena Williams (USA) v (14) Maria Kirilenko
Head-to-head
| It’s a clean sweep for Williams – 5-0. | Twice Kirilenko has pushed Williams to a third set, including in their last meeting in 2011 in Stanford. |
Will win if...
| Williams will win so long as she doesn’t injure herself. No more whacks to the face or dangerous tumbles – the final is beckoning to Williams, she just needs to stay healthy. | She plays the match of her life or Williams injures herself. Kirilenko has been good in week one but not good enough to beat Williams who has been in devastating form. |
Heading in...
| Williams has been in typically dominant form, casting aside a handful of players, barely raising a sweat. | Kirilenko has had a more difficult lead-in than Williams, including a victory over 20th seed Yanina Wickmayer. |
Look out for...
| Aces. Williams has hit 24 of them to date – more than any other woman at Australian Open 2013. | Kirilenko to attack early. The small-of-stature Russian will know that if she’s to have any chance she will have to strike early. Let Williams get on top from the start and get her confidence up and it’s game over. |
Know this stat
| 210km/h. That’s the serve speed that Williams has to beat to add another record to her collection. She’s smacked 207km/h bombs in her past two matches and she’s talked about wanting the record. And what Serena wants, Serena … | 2-7. Kirilenko won just two matches against top 10 opponents in 2012. |
X-factor
| Determination to improve on last year. It was at the same stage in 2012 that Williams was shocked by another Russian – Ekaterina Makarova. The American will be desperate to not go out in the fourth round for the second year in a row. | Capable of causing an upset. Kirilenko has caused upsets here before, ask Maria Sharapova. |