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Russia’s Sharapova beats Makarova, reaches Australian Open final

Second-seeded Sharapova will face the winner of the all-American semi-final between top ranked Serena Williams and Madison Keys, 19

Maria Sharapova EPA/LUKAS COCH

Maria Sharapova

© EPA/LUKAS COCH

SYDNEY, January 29. /TASS/. Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has reached the Australian Open final, the season's first Grand Slam tennis tournament, with a 6-3, 6-2 win over fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

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Sharapova tops Forbes list of world's highest-paid female athletes

Second-seeded Sharapova will face the winner of the all-American semi-final between top ranked Serena Williams and Madison Keys, 19.

This was the first "Russian semi-final" at the series of Grand Slam tennis tournaments over the past five years.

In 2009, three Russians reached the semi-finals in Australia — Vera Zvonareva, Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva.

American Serena Williams won the 2009 final, recording her fourth Australian Open title.

Russia’s Sharapova won the Australian Open title only once in 2008. Sharapova and 10th-seeded Makarova have played five times and Sharapova has won all the five.

Over the past years, Sharapova has won 22 of her last 23 matches against fellow Russians.

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