CHARLESTON, S.C., April 18 (UPI) -- Serena Williams was a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 winner against Maria Sharapova in a quarterfinal match at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C.
Williams secured the battle of former world No. 1 players in women's tennis by serving nine aces to Sharapova's nine doubles faults.
Williams also compiled six service breaks to Sharapova's four.
"It was an up-and-down match," said the fifth-seeded Williams, who rose to 5-2 lifetime against the second-seeded Sharapova. " don't think I played my best. Actually I played far from my best."
Wiliams, who has won two tournaments this season, faces 18-year-old Alize Cornet of France in one semifinal on Saturday.
The unseeded Cornet was a 7-5 6-4 winner against No. 10 seed Agnes Szavay of Hungary.
The tournament's eventual winner on Sunday will earn $196,900.
