For the fourth time in their illustrious careers, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will meet in the Australian Open. However, much like how almost all battles between the two megastars have gone throughout their rivalry, the first three matchups have all been in Williams’ favor. Can Sharapova finally end her nearly 12-year drought against the American Down Under?
Read on below for our preview of this star-studded quarterfinal matchup. And for more top quarterfinal showdowns, check out our previews of Djokovic vs. Nishikori and Federer vs. Berdych.
[sc:TennisArticles ]Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova Betting Preview
Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne
When: Monday, January 25
Line: Serena Williams (-450) vs. Maria Sharapova (+325) – view all Australian Open Women’s Singles lines
Betting on Serena Williams
Serena Williams is showing no signs of slowing down Down Under. The defending champion and World No. 1 was given a pretty stern test by Camila Giorgi in Round 1, but has subsequently steamrolled past her next three opponents. Serena dropped a grand total of eight points en route to her straight-sets wins over Daria Kasatkina, Su-Wei Hsieh, and Margarita Gasparyan.
[sc:AUS15-250 ]Serena’s service game hasn’t been particularly overwhelming – she has a modest 25 aces through four matches – but her return game has been remarkably good. She’s won a whopping 52 percent of return points thus far in the tournament, and has gone an equally impressive 17-of-37 (46 percent) on her break point opportunities.
Serena’s overpowering return game has been one of the big reasons why she has simply owned Maria Sharapova in their career head-to-heads. The American is 18-2 and has a current 17-match win streak over her Russian rival. 10 of those 17 wins have come on hard court, including last year’s Aussie Open final, where Williams broke Sharapova three times and won 42 percent of return points.
If that wasn’t enough to illustrate Williams’ dominance, then consider that she has dropped a grand total of one set in her last 12 matches against Sharapova.
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Betting on Maria Sharapova
After easing through the first two rounds, Maria Sharapova hasn’t looked quite as impressive against her last two opponents, Lauren Davis and Belinda Bencic. Davis even took a set from Sharapova in a tie-break, the first one the World No. 5 has lost in the tournament.
The Russian was able to respond to the challenge on both occasions, though, to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years.
But for one reason or another – whether it’s because of a physical, technical or mental issue, or maybe some combination of the three – Sharapova just hasn’t been able to solve the puzzle of Williams. In fairness to her, she’s very much not alone in that regard. Yet for a player that aspires to be in Williams’ level, she’s been far from it.
In any normal circumstance, Sharapova would be very much up against it. She’s a +325 underdog against Williams. But with her recent struggles against inferior opponents and Williams’ continued dominance in this tournament, the signs don’t look too promising for Shara in her quest to finally snap her dreaded losing skid against the American.
Writer’s Prediction
Serena (-450) strolls to another straight-sets win over Sharapova.
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