#TBT: The Day Maria and Serena’s Rivalry Changed Course

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#TBT: The Day Maria and Serena’s Rivalry Changed Course

Ten years ago, things were quite different on the WTA Tour. Kim Clijsters would win nine titles, and another talented Belgian, Justine Henin would win the French. But early in the season, in Australia, it came down to a good old-fashioned Russian-American battle. A young, fresh-faced Maria Sharapova, the previous year’s breakout Wimbledon champion, threatened to further solidify her domination of Serena Williams by knocking her out of the Australian Open in the semifinals.

Had Sharapova done it, the victory would have been her third straight against Serena Williams. Yes, that’s correct: Once upon a time, Maria Sharapova once had a two-match winning streak against Serena Williams.

At the time Williams was already a six-time Grand Slam champion and an eight-time major finalist, but a tall, wiry 17-year-old Russian with a loud, blood-curdling grund seemed to have her number.

Seemed, of course, being the operative word. Because in reality, Serena Williams would soon embark on a decade-long 15 match winning streak against Sharapova, and it would all begin with their epic semifinal of ten years ago in Australia.

Sharapova took an early lead and served for the match in the second set before being rebuffed by a determined Williams and her suddenly near-perfect returns. Sharapova would move ahead again in the decider and once again serve for the match, this time earning three match points before finally falling to Williams, 2-6, 7-5, 8-6.

After a rowdy celebration in which she told all of Australian that she loved them, Williams would go on to win the title, taking down Lindsay Davenport in the final, and she would never again lose to Maria Sharapova.

Since then Williams has taken a remarkable 28 of 30 sets against Sharapova, defeating her in two Grand Slam finals, an Olympic gold medal match, and seven finals in total.

Who knows what course the rivalry would have taken if Serena hadn’t converted on these three match points and ended Sharapova’s mini-reign over her? The pair wouldn’t meet for another two years, but when they did, in the 2007 Australian Open final, Sharapova would only manage three games. In other words, the rivalry had become an un-rivalry.

And it still is today...

All three match points are below. All credit for Williams for making a pair of incredibly clutch forehands on match points two and three.

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