Serena Williams secures semifinal berth at Yarra Valley Classic

Following a COVID-19 scare at Melbourne park, play resumed at the Yarra Valley Classic with Serena Williams taking on compatriot Danielle Collins for a spot in the semifinals. 

The All-American affair saw Williams race to a 4-0 lead, with Collins having no answer for her countrywoman's power and precision. The World No.46 managed to hold her next service game, and even broke Williams's serve to keep the score close at 2-4. However, the 23-time Grand Slam champion increased her intensity and aggressiveness, holding serve before breaking Collins again to claim the first set 6-2 after half an hour.

Collins seemed to have rediscovered her form in the second set, as she broke Williams following an erratic game from the latter. Despite her best efforts, the former World No.1 was unable to break back and Collins won the second set to push the match to a decider.

In lieu of a third set, a 10-point match tie-break was being used by the WTA to make up for the missed day of tennis and prevent player fatigue. This proved to be beneficial to Williams, who utilized her superior serving process to obtain an early minibreak. The World No.11 never looked back after gaining a 4-1 lead, as she cruised to a 6-2 4-6 [10-6] victory in an hour and 36 minutes.

The former Australian Open champion will face top seed Ashleigh Barty in the semifinals, in what should be an electric match.