There are three high-profile semifinal matches in Day 11 of the 2013 Australian Open. Maria Sharapova and Na Li will play no earlier than 1:30 am EST Thursday. The live stream and highlights of the tournament are included in this story.
Li and Sharapova have battled in 12 previous matches, with Sharapova winning eight. The Russian won the first five of those, including Li's 2005 Australian Open (and Grand Slam) debut. Li won the next four matches, and Sharapova has won the three since, all in 2012
Sharapova defeated fellow countrywoman Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-2 in her latest match. The Russian has lost three games in a set just once all tournament, in her 6-1, 6-3 dispatching of Venus Williams in the third round.
Sharapova has a career grand slam, with her Australian Open victory coming in 2008 over Ana Ivanovic (her third leg of the four slams). In 2012, she reached the finals, but lost to Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka will face Sloane Stephens in her semifinal match. Sharapova is aiming to make her third appearance in the finals in Melbourne, with the only other previous match being a 2007 loss to Serena Williams.
The second-seeded woman in the open has lost nine games over five matches, which is a record low for the event. She has dispatched Olga Puchkova, Misaki Doi, Venus Williams, Kirsten Flipkens and Makarova in order to set up her semifinal date.
Na Li beat Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the quarterfinals, 7-5, 6-3. Li has needed only two sets every single round to dispose of her opponents.
In 2011, Li won her only Grand Slam title, the French Open, over Francesa Schiavone. Her only other Grand Slam finals appearance came the same year in the Australian Open, as Kim Clijsters won the championship. 2013 marks the fifth time in seven years that Li has made it to the fourth round or better of the Aussie Open. She reached the semifinals in 2010 and had fourth-round appearances in both 2007 and 2012. Her defeat last year came at the hands of Clijsters for the second time ever in the open.
Li was the first Asian player to appear in a Grand Slam Final with her Australian performance two years ago.
The women's singles final will be on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 am EST. The men's final will be the last match of the tournament at 7:30 am EST on Monday, Jan. 28. This is the full schedule of the 2013 Australian Open.
The women's doubles final takes place on Saturday, Jan. 26 not before 4:00 am EST. The men's doubles final will be after the women's singles final. The mixed doubles final will be at 4:00 am EST on Monday, Jan. 28.
You can watch video highlights of past 2013 Austrailan Open matches here.
The Live Stream of the 2013 Australian Open is right here (Service Provider Required).