Serena Williams reaches 2016 Australian Open semis

Serena Williams, the women's No. 1, took less than 90 minutes to brush past her longtime rival Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the top four.

Williams has won the Australian Open six times in her career, including last year, when she won the first three Grand Slam tournaments before her U.S. Open loss ended her chance to become the first player since Graf in 1988 to win all four titles in a calendar year. The question is: Do you come in off a low ball because you're being dragged in, or are you coming in on your terms?

Serena Williams bt Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-1 - You will have to excuse Sharapova if she doesn't want to see Williams any time soon, but that has been said for some time.

Williams will now meet Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, who advanced to her second Australian Open semi-final by overcoming Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro.

The two-time major victor was playing in the third round on Saturday when his father-in-law, Nick Sears, who was in Melbourne as Ana Ivanovic's coach, needed sudden medical in a nearby stadium.

Sharapova struck a career-high 21 aces Sunday against Belinda Bencic when rain forced their encounter to be played indoors, but Mouratoglou doubted she could do it again.

"It's obviously always frustrating", Sharapova said of her head-to-head history against Serena.

Defending champion Djokovic recovered strongly from his five-set struggle against Gilles Simon as he ousted Nishikori 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, after Federer swept aside Berdych 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-4.

But Williams held in the third game, closing with an ace after it went to deuce, and then broke to level at 2-2.

Williams, who got out to a sluggish start in the first set, told reporters after the match that she had not been at 100 percent fitness due to "food poisoning issues".

Crucially too, he has not expended too much energy, dropping only one set so far.

Williams also had to concentrate hard to hold in the ninth game, when a baby screamed loudly in the stands as she faced breakpoints.

Inconsistency with his returns and a niggling leg problem saw Nishikori lose his serve six times overall and Djokovic wrapped up the victory in two hours and seven minutes.

"It was super intense", Serena said after winning her 18th straight against the Russian.

Sharapova's first-serve percentage was falling and she went 0-40 down in the seventh game before showing grit to fend off the break points and claw back.

They are the two most unsafe returners in the sport, but Williams has unleashed her superior serve and speed around the court to punish the former No. 1.

The world number three has now improved his record over Berdych to 16-6.

At 34 years, 176 days, Federer is the oldest Aussie Open semifinalist since Colin Dibley in 1979.

His next opponent is the victor of a Tuesday evening match between No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 7 Kei Nishikori.

Djokovic, though, has won their last three tussles at grand slams.

Murray reported that his father-in-law had been released from the hospital, was feeling OK and was heading home.

"But I think this will be a time to just get myself ready for a long year".

Seahawks fan starts insane petition to ban Panthers' Cam Newton from Clink
The Panthers won the game 49-15, gave away more footballs than some could count and had fans literally jumping out of their seats. Newton said the Panther's process wasn't quick like "instant grits", but more evolved like "long-cooked collard greens".