The editors of TENNIS.com preview all four Australian Open semifinals.
What Kvitova needs to do to win:
Get herself in a Wimbledon frame of mind. These two met in the final on Centre Court last summer, and it was barely a contest. Kvitova swung freely and commanded the rallies with ease. Chances are it’s not going to be so simple this time. If Kvitova loses her consistency, or if she has trouble closing, she needs to remember that she’s recovered from both situations in this tournament already.
What Sharapova needs to do to win:
First, serve the way she’s served in Melbourne so far. Sharapova hasn’t been perfect, but she’s controlled the double faults and won free points with her first delivery. After that, she needs to remember how she hit the ball at the end of her win over Sabine Lisicki. With a mix of aggression and margin, it was the most impressive sustained baseline attack we’ve seen from her since she won here three years ago.
The Pick: Kvitova in three sets.
Few women hit harder than Sharapova, but Kvitova is one of them. If they’re both at their best, Kvitova should win, but Sharapova is the more seasoned competitor on this stage—it’s only Kvitova’s second Slam semi. It all might come down to Sharapova’s serve, which has let her down in big matches like these in the recent past.
More Previews:
—Clijsters vs. Azarenka
—Kvitova vs. Sharapova
—Nadal vs. Federer
—Djokovic vs. Murray