Best of enemies resume battle
Serena Williams acknowledges the crowd after beating Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final earlier this year. The pair meet again in today’s semi-finals at Wimbledon
Some rivalries are born of a shared greatness that elevates both players on to a higher plane. Others are based on mutual antipathy, mistrust and the occasional flash of malice, such as that between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
Bad blood that stems back 11 years to Sharapova's breakout win here as a 17-year-old on Centre Court and incorporates a rally of withering personal attacks will be renewed in their semi-final clash today.
