Nick McCarvel, USA TODAY Sports 8:39 a.m. EST January 28, 2015
Madison Keys will play Serena Williams in the semifinals of the Australian Open.(Photo: Vincent Thian, AP)
MELBOURNE, Australia Who's your pick: One of the greatest of all time or a teenager competing in her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal?
Regardless of who wins, an American will be in the final at this event for the first time in five years when Serena Williams and 19-year-old Madison Keys meet for the first time.
How will it play out? And who's in that other semi?
We preview Day 11 in Melbourne, which also includes Andy Murray's much-anticipated semifinal.
(2) Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. (10) Ekaterina Makarova (RUS), 1:30 p.m. local/9:30 p.m. ET ESPN2
Sharapova starts the day on Rod Laver Arena against a countrywoman of her own, fellow Russian Makarova. Makarova is only into her second-ever Grand Slam semifinal, but it's a second in a row, the 26-year-old having made the final four at the US Open in September. The world No. 2 Sharapova has never lost in five meetings with Makarova, who has won just one out of 11 sets they've played. "I'm facing an opponent that wasn't necessarily a favorite coming into this stage," said Sharapova, who's won five majors in her career. "That's always a tricky situation because she's going to come into the match free and almost happy to be in (the semifinals), and that's dangerous. Sharapova has reason to be wary: she's just 9-9 in 18 major semifinals.
(1) Serena Williams (USA) vs. Madison Keys (USA), to follow first semi ESPN2
Only three players have beaten both the Williams sisters during a major, something Keys will attempt to finish on Thursday when she meets Serena for the first time. The teenager is playing in just her 11th major and will try and go toe-to-toe with Williams in the power department, as she did in upset wins over No. 4 seed Petra Kvitova and Venus previously. A bad hip was bothering Keys on Wednesday, while Williams told reporters she is trying to get over a nasty cold. The survivor will make a trip to the Australian Open final.
(6) Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE), 7:30 p.m. local/3:30 a.m. ET Thursday ESPN2
The lone men's semifinal on Thursday provides for plenty of drama, as Murray and Berdych meet for the 11th time. It's the first in which they've battled with Berdych under the tutelage of new coach Dani Vallverdu, Murray's former coach and a close friend of the Briton. Berdych leads their head-to-head 6-4 and will be brimming with confidence following his straight-set upset of Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. Much has been made of what Vallverdu has brought to Berdych's game, and in particular what game plan he'll craft when the Czech plays Murray. But Murray wasn't taking any of the British press' bait: "My goal isn't to beat Dani," he told reporters. "My goal is to beat Berdych." Regardless, it'll be Berdych's big hitting against the consistency and guile of Murray, who is trying to reach his fourth Australian Open final.
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