Serena sets up Stephens clash in Melbourne heat

MELBOURNE - Serena Williams trounced Maria Kirilenko at the Australian Open on Monday, setting up an all-American quarter-final with her would-be successor Sloane Stephens after Andy Murray had put flagging Frenchman Gilles Simon out of his misery.The 31-year-old Williams needed less than an hour to advance under lights at Rod Laver Arena with a 6-2 6-0 victory, and will meet another woman in a hurry in teenager Stephens.The wise-cracking 19-year-old has been touted as an heir to the 15-times grand slam champion Williams and bolstered her credentials with a mature 6-1 3-6 7-5 win over Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski in the afternoon sun at Hisense Arena.But Williams fired a warning shot ahead of the generational battle, with her serve on fire and after bashing 22 winners against the 14th-seeded Russian.“I think she’s playing great,” Williams said courtside of Stephens. “I think she has incredible talent, I actually admire her as well. “I feel like I have nothing to lose and I’m just going to have fun when I play.”Murray appeared to derive little joy from his 6-1 6-3 6-1 clobbering of shattered 14th seed Simon, with the Frenchman reduced to a staggering wreck.Murray’s victory checked the Gallic juggernaut at Melbourne Park, but set up another match with a Frenchman after Jeremy Chardy’s fairytale run continued with a 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over 21st seeded Italian Andreas Seppi.

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Serena sets up Stephens clash in Melbourne heat