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Samantha Stosur is paying a painful price for her 2011 US Open final victory over Serena Williams.
Samantha Stosur is paying a painful price for her 2011 US Open final victory over Serena Williams.
Williams played what she called one of the best matches of her career as she pounded Stosur 6-1 6-1 in the Family Circle Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
The American needed less than an hour to dispatch the second-seeded Australian for a second straight week, having also beaten her in straight sets in Miami.
The tournament champion two years ago, Stosur admitted she was powerless as Williams showed scant regard for her usually dominant serve and cracked a total of 29 winners on the green claycourt.
"I have to say, this is probably the best match I've played in my career, either in a long time or it's up there in the top five," said Williams, owner of 13 grand slam titles and 39 singles titles overall.
"It was one of those days I could have done anything against anybody."
Williams made it clear she was primed for a big match and especially wary of Stosur after the Australian's US Open upset win over her.
"She (Stosur) is a great player. She has a grand slam under her belt, and she beat me in the final of that and played unbelievable. When you're playing someone like her, you have to play well or you're going to lose," said Williams.
"So that was my mindset ... go big or go home."
Stosur had rallied to defeat Serena's older sister, Venus, in quarter-finals a day earlier and was seeking to become just the eighth player to beat both Williams sisters in the same tournament.
Serena quickly made sure that didn't happen.
"It didn't really seem to matter what I did," said Stosur. "She came out with the goods every time."
"She was way too good today. She was pretty happy with the way she played."
Williams set a final clash with Lucie Safarova, who had an even more lopsided victory, dispatching Polona Hercog 6-0 6-0.