Thank you for joining me for this match on VAVEL USA. This is Max Gao, signing off!
Final thoughts: Williams made a couple of unforced errors that she didn't make in her last two matches, but it was still enough to demolish Gasparyan. The world number one hit three aces to one double fault, 19 winners to 15 unforced errors and won a solid 75% of her first serve points. However, she only made 57% of her first deliveries, a statistic she desperately needs to improve in order to continue her winning streak at the Australian Open. The 34-year-old will play Maria Sharapova next, a player she hasn't lost to in more than 11 years and in their last 17 meetings. However, Sharapova has tested Williams in recent years and the American will need to get off to a fast start against the Russian who seems to come into every match with the belief that she can beat anyone across the net.
Game, set and match, Serena Williams. Two sets to love, 6-2, 6-1. Williams seals the match in style, with a big unreturnable serve down the T.
40-15: Williams follows up a big serve by putting away a smash to set up two match points.
30-15: Williams throws in her first double fault at a more timely manner. She is still in the driver's seat.
30-0: Gasparyan nets a backhand return. Williams just two points away now.
15-0: Another terrific point from both women but the Russian just misses a forehand - but not by much.
Wonderous defence from Williams eventually pays off as Gasparyan misses a backhand cross court to hand the world number one the break. Williams leads 5-1, second set.
40-AD: Gasparyan just overcooks a forehand to hand Williams another break point.
40-40: Great serving from Gasparyan to push the game to deuce. Can she hold?
30-40: Perfect one-two punch from the Russian to save the first.
15-40: Gasparyan nets a backhand, consequently giving Williams two break points.
15-30: Gasparyan just overcooks a backhand.
15-15: Williams loses her balance and nets a backhand.
0-15: Great defence from Williams that eventually forces an error out of Gasparyan.
Great play from Williams once again. She holds for 4-1, making the final result look ominous for Gasparyan.
40-15: Third ace from Williams earns her two game points.
30-15: Backhand unforced error from Williams.
30-0: Another great serve from the world number one.
15-0: Great serve from Williams to get Gasparyan on the stretch.
Gasparyan hits her fourth double fault at a very untimely time, handing Williams the early break. The 34-year-old leads by a set and 3-1.
30-40: Another stunning forehand return winner down the line from the world number one gives her a break point.
30-30: Williams just misses a forehand again. She is beginning to look annoyed with herself on that wing.
15-30: Great return down the middle from Williams leaves Gasparyan flat footed.
15-15: Emphatic forehand return winner down the line off the second serve from the world number one.
15-0: Williams just misses the mark with a forehand down the line.
Gasparyan just misses a forehand. Williams holds for 2-1.
40-30: Big serving from Williams to erase any hope of breaking for Gasparyan.
30-30: Williams misses a rare forehand putaway.
30-15: Big forehand putaway from Williams. She has looked mightily impressive inside the court today.
15-15: Big second serve from Williams slicing away from Gasparyan wins the American the point.
0-15: Beautiful backhand down the line winner from Gasparyan; which was applauded by Williams.
Gasparyan holds. 1-1.
40-15: A forehand forced error from Williams gives Gasparyan two game points.
30-15: Williams just loses her balance and misses a routine forehand.
15-15: Gasparyan double faults; her ball toss was way too far in front of her.
15-0: Big serve from Gasparyan to force an error out of Williams - she will need a lot more of those if she is to mount a comeback.
Williams holds as Gasparyan misses an inside out backhand. 1-0, second set.
40-15: Gasparyan just misses the mark with her forehand.
30-15: Gasparyan nets a backhand return.
15-15: Good return from Gasparyan to force a backhand error out of Williams.
15-0: Forehand forced error off of the return from Gasparyan to start the second set.
Williams breaks as Gasparyan hits a forehand into the tramlines. First set to the world number one, 6-2.
15-40: Fourth ace from Gasparyan saves the first.
0-40: Too good from Williams; she hits another emphatic cross court forehand return winner to give herself three set points.
0-30: Gasparyan misses a forehand on the stretch.
0-15: Second double fault from Gasparyan.
Great serving from Williams to hold for a 5-2 lead.
40-15: Backhand forced error from Gasparyan to give Williams two break points.
30-15: Big forehand return from Gasparyan to force an error out of Williams, catching the American flat footed.
30-0: Beautiful forehand winner into the open court from the world number one.
15-0: Great scrambling from both players but it's Williams who comes out on top, forcing an error out of her Russian counterpart.
Gasparyan holds as Williams nets a forehand return. The latter still leads 4-2.
AD-40: Third ace from Gasparyan.
40-40: Backhand unforced error from Gasparyan to push the game to deuce.
30-30: First double fault for Gasparyan.
30-15: Williams just misses a forehand that was called out by umpire Zhang Juan. The world number one challenged, but the call was the right one.
15-15: Big serve from Gasparyan to force an error out of Williams.
0-15: Gasparyan just misses a cross court forehand passing shot.
Williams holds as she puts away an emphatic smash at the net, leaving Gasparyan helpless. The American leads 4-1.
40-15: More powerful play from Williams to earn herself two game points.
30-15: Second ace of the match from the world number one.
15-15: Powerful play from the world number one to force an error out of the Russian's backhand; Gasparyan's weaker wing.
0-15: Williams mishits a forehand which lands at least five feet out, prompting her to yell, "Oh my."
Williams breaks as Gasparyan overcooks a backhand. The world number one leads 3-1.
30-40: First ace of the match for Gasparyan to save the second.
15-40: Beautiful backhand down the line from Gasparyan to force an error out of Williams. One saved.
0-40: WOW! Williams hits a screaming cross court forehand return winner to set up three break points.
0-30: Gasparyan nets a backhand passing shot.
0-15: Big backhand return from Williams to force an error out of a shellshocked Gasparyan.
Williams holds as Gasparyan fails to successfully return a drop shot. The world number one leads 2-1, first set.
40-30: Williams misses a backhand approach.
40-15: Nice one-two punch from Williams to give herself two game points.
30-15: Williams loses her balance and hits a backhand into the bottom of the net.
30-0: Big serve sets up the easy forehand putaway for Williams. That will be a common pattern of play today for the world number one.
15-0: Gasparyan just overcooks a slice approach into the net.
Williams breaks back as Gasparyan nets a backhand. 1-1.
40-AD: Emphatic cross court forehand winner from Williams to set up another break point.
40-40: Gasparyan hits a forehand that was originally called out but after challenging, it was determined that it was in. The point has been awarded to the Russian.
30-40: Williams nets a forehand return on the first.
15-40: Forehand unforced error from Gasparyan to give Williams two break points to break straight back.
15-30: More positive patterns of play from the world number one now; she is moving further into the court and finished the point with an emphatic smash. She does not want to hang around.
15-15: Forehand winner down the line from Williams.
15-0: Ace from Gasparyan to open proceedings on her own serve.
Williams nets a backhand and she's broken! Gasparyan breaks to begin the match.
15-40: Gutsy second serve ace from Williams to save the first break point.
0-40: Good depth from Gasparyan to force a backhand error out of Williams. Three break points right off the bat for the Russian.
0-30: Great return from Gasparyan to set up an easy backhand putaway.
0-15: Forehand unforced error from Williams to open proceedings.
Ready? Play!
Williams won the toss and elected to serve.
Williams and Gasparyan have made their way to the court. They are currently warming up.
The preceding match between Maria Sharapova and Belinda Bencic has concluded. Williams and Gasparyan will make their way to the court shortly.
Here's a preview to the match by Jake Fletcher.
For Margarita Gasparyan, the Russian is still not really well-known to most, but those who have seen her play are fans of what she brings to the table and believe she is part of the next crop of Russians after Sharapova to help take over women’s tennis in Russia. The Russian has one of the best one-handed backhands in women’s tennis, if not the best.
As for Serena’s game, it’s pretty self-explanatory at this point in her career, power… raw power. The American can punish the ball from the back of the court with any shot she likes and anyway. Whether it’s forehand or backhand, cross-court, down the line, or an acute angle, there’s no stopping her. We haven’t even discussed her serve yet, which is the best in the women’s game. Down and out on her own service game is just not a thing when you can disguise the ball toss so well that you can put yourself back in the game in a snap. Kick serve, body serve, down the tee, you name it, she has it.
Her run here so far has been impressive. She quickly put behind her first set loss against Sara Errani to rebound to win in three sets. Kurumi Nara was up next and that was a straight sets victory for the Russian. Her third round match was against Caroline Wozniacki conqueror, Yulia Putintseva. It was the Russian’s best win, dropping seven games only en route to her 6-4, 6-3 win to continue to her best ever run at a Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
Gasparyan, the world number 58, earned a spot into the Brisbane International main draw as a lucky loser. She lost to countrywoman Ekaterina Makarova in three sets. After that, she was off to Hobart. She defeated wild card Maddison Inglis in the opening round before crashing out to Johanna Larsson in three sets.
Serena’s opening match was definitely her most difficult one so far in the tournament. She opened up against hard-hitting Italian, Camila Giorgi. It was a tight affair for Serena in what was a toe-to-toe battle of sheer power. She prevailed 6-4, 7-5. Her next match was against doubles specialist Su-Wei Hsieh. Hsieh was overmatched and could not do anything at all to even trouble Serena. It was 6-1, 6-2 to the American. Her final match was against Daria Kasatkina. The Russian upset 27th-seeded Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the opening round. Even before that, Kasatkina made her mark by defeating Serena’s older sister, Venus, who was the defending champion, in Auckland. Like Hsieh, Kasatkina stood no chance against Serena as she was downed 6-1, 6-1.
Though her Australian Open was never in question, Serena did carry an injury coming into the tournament. Her knee, which has bothered her since after the US Open and forced her to withdraw from the remainder of the season last year after the year’s final major, forced her to withdraw from the Hopman Cup. She originally did not play in the United States’ opening match against Ukraine and was replaced by Vickie Duval in that match. After falling a set behind against Jarmila Wolfe, she retired from that match and withdrew from the event. Knee inflammation was the diagnosis, but since she’s comeback to Melbourne, she’s had no problems.
The Australian Open is a tournament that Serena has dominated. This is the major she has won the most times with six, and that stands the most in the Open Era, tied second most all-time. She also has the most match wins ever Down Under with 68.
After missing out on the Grand Slam last year after her stunning three set loss to Roberta Vinci in the US Open semifinals, she’s back to step one to trying to catch that elusive Grand Slam. Serena is currently on 21 Grand Slams. That puts her in a tie for solo third behind Steffi Graf and Margaret Court who have 22 and 24 respectively. This year, Serena will be looking to do what Graf did back in 1988, which is the Golden Slam. With an Olympic year, Serena will be aiming to win all four major titles as well as an Olympic gold. And the mission starts here.
If you would like to follow the Sharapova-Bencic match live, please click here for live point-by-point commentaries by Thomas Cluck.
Hello everyone, I’m Max Gao. Welcome to live coverage of Serena Williams - Margarita Gasparyan, this Australian Open fourth round match. This match is second up on Rod Laver Arena after the conclusion of Maria Sharapova - Belinda Bencic. I will be providing live commentary and giving point-by-point updates throughout the match. Please stay tuned for a preview to the match.