Maria Sharapova dominates Venus Williams at Australian Open

Maria Sharapova turned a third-round match against Venus Williams at the Australian Open on Friday into a straight-set rout.

The 6-1, 6-3 victory for the lanky Russian ended with an ace at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

“I think when we both looked at the draw, it was a matchup we were both looking forward to,” Sharapova said afterward. “I was a really determined player out there because I knew the tennis that she’s capable of producing and playing. She’s a tremendous athlete and a great champion.”

Sharapova, who won her first two matches of the tournament without dropping a game, will play unseeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium in the fourth round.

Williams, a winner of seven Grand Slam events, didn’t offer much resistance Friday.

“Definitely not my best today, but there’s always other days to play better,” Williams said. “I just had a lot of errors ... that never helps.”

Williams finished the match with 26 unforced errors.

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