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Game, Set, Match Williams 6-4, 6-1.

AD-40: Sharapova hits backhand on the run long, setting up a Williams match point.

40-40: Sharapova hits forehand return long.

40-AD: Williams hits forehand long.

40-40: Sharapova hits forehand return long.

30-40: Sharapova hits a blistering forehand down the line return winner.

30-30: Williams hits forehand long.

30-15: Williams hits big forehand winner.

15-15: Williams hits an ace.

0-15: Sharapova hits forehand winner.

Sharapova hits a big ace down the middle, to hold for 1-5. 

40-30: Sharapova hits big forehand swing volley winner.

30-30: Williams hits return long.

15-30: Sharapova nets forehand.

15-15: Williams nets forehand return.

0-15: Sharapova hits backhand long.

Williams hits an ace out wide, holding for 5-0.

AD-40: Williams hits forehand winner.

40-40: Williams hits backhand long.

40-30: Williams hits big forehand winner.

30-30: Williams hits forehand long.

30-15: Williams double faults.

30-0: Williams hits an ace down the middle.

15-0: Williams hits backhand swing volley winner.

Sharapova hits forehand long and Williams breaks for 4-0.

15-40: Sharapova double faults.

30-15: Williams hits forehand on the run winner.

15-15: Williams nets forehand return.

0-15: Sharapova nets forehand.

Williams hits a big ace down the middle and holds for 3-0.

40-0: Sharapova hits backhand volley long.

30-0: Sharapova nets forehand.

15-0: Williams hits a big serve down the middle, Sharapova cannot return.

Williams hits a big forehand winner and breaks for 2-0.

AD-40: Sharapova hits backhand long.

40-40: Sharapova hits forehand long.

40-30: Sharapova hits forehand winner.

30-30: Williams hits forehand long.

15-30: Sharapova hits forehand wide.

15-15: Sharapova hits forehand winner.

0-15: Sharapova nets forehand.

Williams hits big serve, Sharapova cannot return. Williams holds for 1-0.

40-0: Sharapova hits forehand return long.

30-0: Williams hits an ace out wide.

15-0: Williams hits forehand winner.

Williams hits volley winner to take first set 6-4. 

40-AD: Sharapova hits backhand wide.

40-40: Williams nets forehand return.

40-AD: Sharapova passing shot goes long.

40-40: Williams nets forehand.

40-AD: Williams hits forehand return down the line winner.

40-40: Williams nets forehand return.

40-AD: Williams hits forehand return winner.

40-40: Williams hits backhand winner, off of net cord.

40-30: Williams nets backhand during long rally.

30-30: Williams nets forehand return.

15-30: Williams nets return.

0-30: Williams hits backhand return winner.

0-15: Williams hits forehand winner.

Williams hits big ace down the middle, holds for 5-4.

AD-40: Williams hits forehand winner.

40-40: Williams nets backhand off of Sharapova swing volley.

AD-40: Williams hits an ace out wide.

40-40: Williams hits forehand winner.

40-AD: Williams nets.

40-40: Williams hits an ace out wide.

40-AD: Williams double faults.

40-40: Williams nets backhand off of Sharapova swing volley.

40-30: Williams hits forehand winner.

30-30: Sharapova nets return.

15-30: Williams double faults.

15-15: Sharapova hits big backhand down the line winner.

15-0: Williams hits a forehand cross court winner.

Sharapova hits a blistering forehand winner to hold for 4-4.

AD-40: Williams hits return long.

40-40: Sharapova with a big ace down the middle.

30-40: Williams nets return.

15-40: Williams nets return.

0-40: Sharapova double faults.

0-30: Sharapova nets forehand.

0-15: Sharapova double faults.

Williams hits a big ace down the middle, holds for 4-3.

40-30: Williams hits big ace down the middle.

30-30: Sharapova hits big forehand return winner.

30-15: Sharapova nets attempted drop shot return.

15-15: Sharapova hits forehand return wide.

0-15: Sharapova hits swing volley winner.

Williams hits forehand long and Sharapova holds for 3-3.

40-15: Williams hits forehand wide.

30-15: Williams hits forehand long.

15-15: Sharapova double faults.

15-0: Williams hits forehand long.

Sharapova hits forehand long and Williams holds for 3-2.

40-15: Williams hits an ace out wide.

30-15: Williams hits forehand long.

30-0: Williams hits an ace out wide.

15-0: Sharapova nets forehand.

Williams breaks courtesy of a Sharapova backhand error.

30-40: Sharapova double faults.

30-30: Sharapova double faults.

30-15: Williams hits return long.

15-15: Williams hits a big forehand return winner.

15-0: Williams hits return long.

Williams gets on the board with an ace down the middle. Sharapova leads 2-1.

AD-40: Sharapova nets return.

40-40: Williams nets forehand.

40-30: Sharapova hits return wide.

30-30: Williams hits an ace out wide.

15-30: Williams hits backhand long.

15-15: Sharapova hits forehand long.

0-15: Williams nets backhand.

Sharapova blasts an ace down the middle, holds for 2-0.

40-30: Williams nets forehand.

30-30: Williams hits forehand wide.

15-30: Sharapova double faults.

15-15: Sharapova hits forehand long.

15-0: Williams nets backhand return.

Williams hits backhand long and Sharapova breaks to lead 1-0.

15-40: Williams hits backhand long, break points for Sharapova.

15-30: Williams hits backhand wide.

15-15: Williams forehand long.

15-0: Sharapova nets forehand return.

Williams to serve.

Player analysis: There's not much to say about these two players that no one really knows about. Both women are very attack-minded players who possess very powerful groundstrokes. However, Serena outmatches Maria in every aspect forehand and backhand. Serena also possesses the WTA's most trusted shot when down, her own serve. The American's serve is miles better than Sharapova's. The Russian tends to go high risk on all her serves, especially second serves. Serena dominates every aspect of the game over Maria and has a significant mental edge. So it'll be interesting to see if the Russian does something new. 

Many thought an upset was on the cards when the Russian faced Swiss superstar and 12th-seeded Belinda Bencic. The Swiss really tested the Russian, using her wit and angles to really push her. Sharapova did not play too well either during break points struggling to convert them many times. However, she did deliver in the end, winning 7-5, 7-5 while also hitting nearly 20 aces. 

For Sharapova, her road has been a bit more challenging. After rolling in her first two matches over Nao Hibino and Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Her third round match was a battle though. Despite winning her two sets comfortably, 6-1 in the first and 6-0 in the third, Sharapova was tested all night by a feisty Lauren Davis. The American won the second set tiebreaker. 

After that, the American has rolled her way into the quarterfinals. In the second round, she met doubles specialist Su-Wei Hsieh. She only dropped three games in that match. If you think that match was dominating, her next match against Daria Kasatkina was even more dominating. She rolled the Russian, only dropping two games in the process. Her final match before this quarterfinal was against Kasatkina's countrywoman, Margarita Gasparyan. The six-time Australian Open champion fell behind early. However, she rebounded to dominate the Russian in straights. 

The road to the quarterfinals for Serena hasn't been too challenging to say the least, outside of her first round match. In that opening round, she met hard-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi. The American survived that tricky matchup, no part in thanks to plenty of errors from the Italian, but it was still a straight sets win. 

The rivals met twice last year, both on the Grand Slam stage. They met in Melbourne in the Australian Open final with the Amercian winning in straight sets. They'd also meet at Wimbledon, this time in a semifinal. It was also a straight sets win as the world number one went on to win three Grand Slam titles last year, pushing her mark to 21. 

Since then it's been a rampage of Serena wins. 17 straight to be exact. It's been on all types of surfaces we've seen Serena win on too. Three of those wins came on grass, 10 on hard courts, and four on clay. Like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, this long historic rivalry has taken place on the biggest stages but the two have never met at the US Open

Later that year, we'd witness the Russian's two lone wins over Serena. The first came at Wimbledon where she shockingly destoryed the American, 6-1, 6-4 winning her first major title and officially staking her claim as the "official" next big thing in tennis. Her second win over was at the WTA Finals where she defeated Serena in the final to win the year-end event. 

We have to throw it back all the way to Miami 12 years ago to remember the first time these two met. Serena was already an established star on the tour while Sharapova was labeled as the next big thing on the tour at 16 years old. Serena won that opening match in straight sets in Key Biscayne. 

This quarterfinal is set to be a blockbuster showdown as world number one Serena Williams takes on rival and world number five Maria SharapovaSerena has owned the career head-to-head between the two as she leads it 18-2. 

Welcome to live coverage of the Australian Open quarterfinal! My name is Thomas Cluck, and I am happy to be bringing you point-by-point coverage of the Australian Open quarterfinal here on VAVEL. From now until the match begins at 8:45 pm ET, news and notes will be above to get you up to speed. Be sure to return at match time for point-by-point updates!

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About the author
Thomas Cluck
Thomas Cluck is an avid tennis fan who loves to share his passion for the sport through writing. Thomas is from Dallas, TX, and is an tennis agent and PR person. Thomas has been watching tennis for many years and covers the sport daily on his Instagram page @atpwta_tennis.