Maria Sharapova set up a blockbuster WTA Championships final against Serena Williams on Saturday with a crushing 6-4, 6-2 win over world number one Victoria Azarenka.
Olympic, Wimbledon and US Open champion Williams had earlier eased into Sunday’s title match with a 6-2, 6-1 success against an exhausted Agnieszka Radwanska in a repeat of this summer’s All England Club final. “I have lost to Victoria a few times so I was happy to get the chance to play against her,” said Sharapova.
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“Against the World No 1, you have to run down every ball. She’s number one for a reason. It will be a difficult match against Serena. She’s been on fire, she’s the one to beat.”
Federer in Swiss finale
Meanwhile, in Basel, top seed Roger Federer beat Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 7-5, 6-4 to storm into the ATP Swiss Indoors final on Saturday. Federer will take on Juan Martin del Potro, who reached his second ATP final in succession with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet earlier.u00a0