Maria Sharapova races into Australian Open final

MELBOURNE, Australia – Two double faults and a couple of the worst service misses you'll see in tennis, Maria Sharapova needed ten minutes to win the opening game of her Australian Open semifinal Thursday. But she won that game, and slowly settled into the match to cruise past compatriot Ekaterina Makarova to book herself in the 10th major final of her career.

Scoreline: [2] Maria Sharapova (RUS) def. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 6-3, 6-2

Sharapova came into this match with a 5-0 head-to-head record against her countrywoman, who was competing in just her second career Grand Slam semifinal. It was Sharapova's 19th, but a 9-9 mark didn't assure any critics that the 27-year-old five-time major champion would sail through against Makarova, who has found her career-best form at age 26. Sharapova, however, was in key after that first-game struggle, winning in 87 minutes. She will take on top seed Serena Williams in the final.

What it means: Sharapova has proven much in her career since winning the Wimbledon title in 2004 at 17, but what matters most to her are the major trophies. She's won four more since, but none here following a 2008 triumph in Melbourne. In 2012 she made the final, an embarrassing affair against Victoria Azarenka in what was a 6-3, 6-0 thumping by the Belarusian.

Sharapova hasn't beaten Serena since 2004, a span of 15 straight losses to the American.

How it happened: After that tricky first game, Sharapova was in full flight, fighting against a swirling wind inside Rod Laver Arena and jumping out to a 4-1 lead behind power tennis. Makarova made a brief run, holding and breaking, Sharapova hitting a forehand into the net to bring the score to 4-3 on serve.

Yet Sharapova, as she has done 170 times before in Grand Slam play, didn't relent. She broke back, then held for the first set in 48 minutes and jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Sharapova ended the match in just under 90 minutes, Makarova's backhand return long on match point number one.

Key stat: Sharapova may have had seven double faults, but she won 81 percent of points on her first serve. She hit 23 winners to just 11 from Makarova, saving five of six break points and breaking her opponent four times out of nine chances.

What she said: "It's so special," Sharapova said on court after her win. "When you start off the tournament you take it a match at a time. It's been a strange road for me to get to the final but I'm here and I'm really happy. Playing another Russian, I knew that she would come out strong; I felt really ready for that."