Williams fires first shot ahead of grudge match with Sharapova

Serena Williams has flexed her Wimbledon authority by firing an early mind-games salvo ahead of her grudge semi-final with Maria Sharapova.

Williams claimed: “I love playing Maria”, to preview Thursday’s last-four meeting with Sharapova, a re-run of Wimbledon’s 2004 final, despite the duo’s long-running frostiness.