It started last June, when unseeded 17-year-old Maria Sharapova beat six-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams at Wimbledon, raising questions about Serena's commitment to tennis. Sharapova has since made more noise—pun intended—than Williams around the circuit. She had beaten Serena in their last couple of meetings, proving Wimbledon was no fluke, but has yet to win a second Grand Slam herself.
Their latest clash ended about five hours ago at this year's Australian Open. With Melbourne sixteen hours ahead of New York, watching matches—such as Jennifer Capriati's 2001 win over Martina Hingis for her first Slam title—feels surreal, as if I'm watching a match on tape, the outcome already decided.
In this latest match, Sharapova started strong, but by turns, neither player looked her confident self. Sharapova earned a hundful of match points, but couldn't close out Serena. Williams won 2-6, 7-5, 8-6. In a match like this, I forget favorites and root for the rivalry. Call me a sap, but there's something hollow in defeating opponents who aren't in top form. I don't know how long it will last, but it's nice to see Serena playing with fire again.
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