 AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama |
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Latest from the Australian Open on Friday (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
Serena Williams, who plays Angelique Kerber in the women’s final at the Australian Open on Saturday, says the price of fame means she doesn’t get out much, but she’ll take that scenario as long as she’s at the top of the women’s game.
At her pre-championship news conference on Friday, Williams was asked whether it bothers her that she’s forced to stay in her hotel or house and not be able to wander the streets of Melbourne as she attempts to win her seventh title here.
Williams says “yeah, definitely … I don’t really leave my house so much, even in Florida or L.A. or Paris. I kind of just stay at home a lot.”
She adds: “It will go away soon. But for now, I’d rather have this than something else because it means I’m doing well.”
Williams has not dropped a set this year in six matches after winning three of four Grand Slam titles last year. She’ll try to win her seventh final in seven attempts at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
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1:20 p.m.
Andy Murray and Milos Raonic are set to meet in a men’s semifinal for the right to play five-time champion Novak Djokovic in an Australian Open men’s final.
The roof was closed over Rod Laver Arena early Friday afternoon with rain showers in the area, but those were expected to clear in time to have an open stadium for the night match.
Djokovic, who has won all five finals he’s played at Melbourne Park, beat Roger Federer in four sets Thursday to advance to Sunday’s championship decider.
The first final of 2016 will be played on Friday afternoon – the women’s doubles championship between the No. 1-ranked team of Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza play Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.
