Australian Open 2015 Schedule: Replay TV Coverage, Live Stream for Day 11 Draw
The 2015 Australian Open has been one of the most entertaining tennis tournaments in recent months, and the action will only pick up as the top players in the world enter the semifinals of the Grand Slam.
With Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova all in action Thursday, tennis fans will be treated to three of the most entertaining semifinals matchups imaginable at Melbourne Park.
Here is all of the vital viewing information for Day 11 at the 2015 Australian Open and a spoiler-free preview of Thursday’s biggest matchup.
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Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Watch: ESPN 2
Live Stream: WatchESPN and AusOpen.com
Replay Coverage: ESPN 3 (3 to 11 a.m. ET)
Full Day 11 Schedule: AusOpen.com
Matchup to Watch: No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Madison Keys
When women’s No. 1 seed Serena Williams takes the court Thursday against fellow American Madison Keys, fans in the United States will be treated to the present and future of women’s tennis in this country.
At 33 years old, Williams is the most dominant women’s player in the world, but she has shown signs of slowing down. While she may have won five Australian Open Grand Slams in her career, this is her first semifinal appearance since 2010.
Mark Beretta of Sunrise talked about the difference in experience between the two players:
Williams has played well throughout the 2015 edition of the event, winning her first two matches in straight sets before beating No. 26 seed Elina Svitolina, No. 24 seed Garbine Muguruza and No. 11 seed Dominika Cibulkova in the last three rounds, respectively.
There is no doubt that Williams is the more experienced player, but at just 19 years old, Keys may be naive enough to not understand the magnitude of the situation. If she doesn’t fear Williams, Keys could pull out the upset win.
When asked about squaring off against Williams—a woman she has never played before—Keys told Nick McCarvel of USA Today, “It's just one of those things where I have to go out, and I have to do my best and really just have to stay focused on my side of the court, because she's obviously very, very good. So if I get too focused on what she's doing I think I can kind of let the moment get away from me.”
Keys has lost just two sets through five rounds at the Australian Open. After beating Lesia Tsurenko in the first round, she went on to upset No. 29 seed Casey Dellacqua and No. 4 seed Petra Kvitova in the second and third rounds.
Add in a fourth-round win over Madison Brengle and a quarterfinals victory against Serena’s sister Venus Williams, and there are few players on the women’s side with as much momentum as Keys.
Williams’ major advantage over her younger challenger (besides experience) is her power. While Keys has the length and the versatility along the baseline, she will be utterly outpowered by her stronger opponent.
Using her strong serve and a wicked return, Williams must bring the game to Keys and force her out of her comfort zone. If the younger player begins to panic or show signs of weakness, Williams will be able to dominate.
*Stats and information via AusOpen.com.
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