Sharapova aiming to set the record straight

Maria Sharapova has promised Serena Williams a new challenge in the French Open final tomorrow as she bids to end a nine-year losing streak.

The world’s top two players reached the final in contrasting fashion yesterday, with Sharapova battling for two hours and 10 minutes to see off Victoria Azarenka 6-1 2-6 6-4.

Williams, meanwhile, routed last year’s runner-up Sara Errani 6-0 6-1 in only 46 minutes to reach her first final at Roland Garros since she won her only title in 2002.

The last time Sharapova beat Williams was at the end-of-season WTA Tour Championships in 2004, since when they have met 12 times — with the American winning the lot.

Sharapova has managed three sets in that time, including the first set of the Miami final in March, but Williams won their most recent match in Madrid last month, 6-1 6-4.

Sharapova said with a smile: “I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t bother me, obviously. I would love to change that around.

“Obviously whatever I did in the past hasn’t worked, so I’ll have to try to do something different and hopefully it will work. I’m proud of the way that I came through this tournament. I have given myself a chance to face the favourite.”

Williams has been in awesome form, winning 30 straight matches and 73 from 76 since losing in the first round here last year, but rarely has she been so dominant as she was yesterday.

It was a mismatch and it showed from the first point. Errani won just 16 points in the whole match, and held her arms aloft after finally getting on the scoreboard in the 10th game.

Williams was in no mood to be charitable, and she said: “I definitely can’t allow myself (to feel for Errani).

“She’s a great girl. I really, really like her. I love her fighting spirit. I really like her as a person. But when you go out there, you just have to play and forget about who you’re playing.”

It was Errani’s heaviest defeat at the hands of Williams, but she insisted it was not an unpleasant experience.

Errani said: “I enjoyed playing. It was a great court, great weather, great everything. What she did was unbelievable. She’s very strong. She’s an unbelievable player. She had a great day.”