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Serena Williams blasts past Maria Sharapova to reach Wimbledon final

Top-seed Serena Williams cruises to a 6-2 6-4 win over Maria Sharapova to reach the Wimbledon final for an eighth time.

Serena Williams has moved to within one win of clinching her third Grand Slam title of the year thanks to a straight-sets victory over Maria Sharapova in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Williams has now won 17 straight matches against Sharapova, whose wait for a second SW19 title goes on after her victory as a 17-year-old in 2004.

Serena Williams of the United States celebrates after winning the Ladies Singles Semi Final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia during day ten of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 9, 2015© Getty Images

Russia's Sharapova was on the back foot from the word go today on Centre Court as top seed Williams broke in the first game before consolidating the early advantage.

The American broke again in the fifth game and had no troubles on her own serve, wrapping up the opener 6-2 in just over half-an-hour.

Sharapova started the second set much more confidently than the first with a hold to 15, but Williams earned a crucial break in the fifth game to edge ahead.

While Williams didn't offer the fourth seed a single chance of a break all match long, Sharapova had to save several more break points as she stayed just about in touch.

Russia's Maria Sharapova reacts after a point against US player Serena Williams during their women's semi-final match on day ten of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 9, 2015© Getty Images

When the chance came for Williams to serve it out, Sharapova didn't have a single touch on the ball as Williams boomed down four aces to complete the victory in style.

Williams will face 20th seed Garbine Muguruza for her sixth Wimbledon title in Saturday's final after the Spaniard overcame Agnieszka Radwanska earlier today.

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Serena Williams of the United States hits a backhand in her Ladies’s Singles first round match against Margarita Gasparyan of Russia during day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29,
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