5 Facts About The 2 Women Who Stand Between a Serena-Venus Semifinal
— -- If you're anything like us, you can't help yourself. You're already looking ahead to a potential 26th meeting between Serena Williams and Venus Williams -- it would, after all, be their first matchup at a major since Serena beat Venus in the 2009 final at Wimbledon. Two women stand in the way of a semifinal clash between the sisters at the Australian Open. Here are five fast facts about Dominika Cibulkova, Serena's next opponent, and Madison Keys, who plays Venus in the quarterfinals.
Dominika Cibulkova
1. At 5-foot-3, the 25-year-old from Slovakia is one of the shortest players on the WTA Tour. In the top 50, only one player -- No. 39 Kurumi Nara of Japan who is listed at 5-1 -- is shorter.
2. Cibulkova was the runner-up in 2014 to Li Na at the Australian Open and has made it to at least the quarterfinals at each of the four Grand Slams. Counting this year, her record at the Australian Open is 17-7. Her record at the other three majors is a not-too-shabby 40-22. Perhaps her other most noteworthy major result, though, was a stunning first-round loss to young American CiCi Bellis at the 2014 US Open.
3. Cibulkova has won four career WTA titles, most recently last February at Acapulco.
4. She is 0-4 in her career against Serena Williams and has taken just one set off the No. 1 player in the world in their previous matches.
5. She is ranked No. 10 in the world and has wins over every player currently ranked in the top 10 except Serena and Eugenie Bouchard, whom she has never played.
Madison Keys
1. Keys is coached by Lindsay Davenport, the 2000 Australian Open champion who was 14-13 in her career against Venus Williams, including a 2-0 mark in Melbourne. Keys is 0-1 against Venus, losing to the elder Williams on the Charleston clay in 2013.
2. At 19, Keys is nearly 15 years younger than the 34-year-old Venus -- "She started watching me when she was in diapers," Venus said. At 5-10, Keys is three inches shorter than the 6-1 Venus.
3. Keys, who was born in Illinois and recently moved from Florida to California, has one career title, winning on the grass last June in Eastbourne.
4. Keys achieved a career-high ranking of No. 27 last July. She is currently ranked 35th in the world. Venus, for the record, is a former No. 1 who is currently ranked 18th.
5. This is Keys' 11th appearance at a Grand Slam tournament and her first trip to the quarterfinals. Her previous best was the third round at Wimbledon, both in 2013 and 2014, and at the 2013 Australian Open. Her record at the majors coming into the 2015 Australian Open was 10-10.
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