Every time Serena Williams has made a semi-final at the Australian Open, she’s lifted the trophy.
And every time she’s set foot onto a tennis court with Agnieszka Radwanska, she’s emerged a winner.
Two facts that mean Williams will step back into Rod Laver Arena on Thursday as the hottest of hot favourites against Radwanska to head into a seventh final at Melbourne Park.
Williams’ imposing form through the first week of the Open has cast aside her pre-tournament queries.
Gone is the memory of her US Open defeat to Roberta Vinci.
The doubts on her knee seem a lifetime ago.
While she needed a medical time-out during her routine dismissal of Maria Sharapova, the world No.1 also insists the food poisoning that troubled her a few days prior is in the past.
The 21-time grand slam winner is perhaps the only person that hasn’t written her name on their lift-out draw on the space marked “champion”.
“It’s not a stat that’s set in stone,” Williams said of her perfect records in semi-finals and finals at Melbourne Park.
“It’s good.
“But it’s not guaranteed.
“Nothing’s guaranteed in sports.
“I still have to win two matches against potentially two extremely tough opponents.”
Williams takes an 8-0 record against Radwanska into their semi-final but the world No.4 should be a taxing opponent.
No player benefited more from Williams’ post-US Open sabbatical from the WTA tour.
The Pole claimed three titles at the back-end of the season, including the WTA Finals, continuing her good run of form into 2016 by winning in Shenzhen.
Williams said she was anticipating an “extremely exciting” match against a friend.
“She’s been playing really well towards the end of the year, and already this year she’s been very consistent,” she said.
“I think it will be a long match and it will be a good match to see where I am.
“Whoever wins, we both deserve to be in the final.
“If she wins, I’ll be very happy for her. I’m sure she’ll feel the same way.”
Serena Williams leads Agnieszka Radwanska 8-0
2013 WTA Championships, Istanbul, hard, RR, Williams 6-2 6-4
2013 Beijing, hard, SF, Williams 6-2 6-2
2013 Canadian Masters, hard, SF, Williams 7-6 (7-3) 6-4
2013 Miami Masters, hard, SF, Williams 6-0 6-3
2012 WTA Championships, Istanbul, hard, SF, Williams 6-2 6-1
2012 Wimbledon, grass, F, Williams 6-1 5-7 6-2
2008 Wimbledon, grass, QF, Williams 6-4 6-0
2008 Berlin, clay, R16, Williams 6-3 6-1
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