With her easy 6-3, 6-1 win over Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals of the Medibank International in Sydney, Elena Dementieva proved she has the best form of all the top women playing right now. To be fair, Azarenka did struggle with a stomach cramp in the second set, but even if she were 100%, I don’t think she would have challenged Elena in this one.
Meanwhile Serena Williams did not look 100% as she faced off against the young French player Aravane Rezai in the other semi. Rezai, who fed off the Williams’ power game, looked fearless on court while Williams seemed a step slow throughout. Rezai easily won the first set 6-3 and jumped out to a 5-3 lead in the second before Serena put her foot down and broke Rezai twice to win the second set 7-5.
Williams and Rezai held serve up until 3-3 when Serena broke first to go up 4-3 only to be broken again at 4-4. But then Rezai blew a backhand long down 15-40 again allowing Serena the chance to serve out the match and the win 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Of course, Dementieva was in this position last year when she won Sydney and many picked her to win the Australian Open. Form, and the lack of it, has never bothered Serena before going into a Slam, but a win in Sydney would send a message that she intends to stay on top, no matter how many Belgians await her in Melbourne.
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