Serena extends mastery of Sharapova

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova for the 15th consecutive time, rallying in both sets Thursday for a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the Sony Open semifinals.

Williams is seeking a record seventh Key Biscayne title. She improved to 16-2 against Sharapova and hasn't lost to her favorite foil since 2004.

The No. 1-ranked Williams won with a superior serve and better returns. She hit nine aces and broke five times, helping her rebound from deficits of 4-1 in the first set and 2-0 in the second.

Williams earned her 14th consecutive victory against a top-10 player. Her opponent in Saturday's final will be the winner Thursday night between reigning Australian Open champion Li Na and Dominika Cibulkova.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.