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BRISBANE, Australia - Serena Williams extended her winning streak against Maria Sharapova to 14 matches with a 6-2, 7-6 (7) semifinal victory Friday to earn a shot at back-to-back Brisbane International titles. The defending champion will play second-seeded Victoria Azarenka in Saturdays final, and will be favoured to retain the title that kicked off her stunning 2013 season that included 78 wins from 82 matches and 11 titles. After blowing two match points in the tiebreaker, Williams sealed the win with her seventh ace against the third-seeded Sharapova. In their first meeting since the French Open final, the uneasy rivals barely exchanged glances before the match and only briefly shook hands after. Both players were returning aggressively — leading to 15 double-faults between them and six breaks of serve in the second set — and hitting their grounds strokes hard and deep. Williams hit consecutive double-faults to give Sharapova a mini-break at 5-4 in the tiebreaker, something she said she couldnt remember ever doing before on tour. Sharapova responded with a double-fault to make it 5-5, and said shed missed her opportunities. "I had a few missed chances ... but overall Im happy I can compete at this level in my third match back," Sharapova said. "Its a good sign for me." Any friendship that existed between the pair soured when they traded personal barbs relating to their romantic relationships ahead of last years Wimbledon, where Sharapova made an early exit. Sharapova only played one match after that in 2013 as she recovered from a right shoulder problem. Williams said shed need to vastly improve her first-serve percentage — which sunk to 40 in the semifinals — to beat Australian Open champion Azarenka, who overcame a shaky serve and another case of the nerves to beat former No. 1-ranked Jelena Jankovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Facing two of her biggest rivals back-to-back in her first tournament of the year, and less than two weeks before the Australian Open, is a big step up in preparations for Williams. "Yeah, I feel like Im being pushed into the deep end straightaway," she said. "I also think its a good thing." Azarenka had her problems on serve, too. She dropped her first three service games and was facing three break points in the opening game of the second set when she shifted the momentum with a winner she picked up on a half-volley when Jankovic was in control of the point. After needing 10 match points to beat Stefanie Voegele in the quarterfinals the previous night, Azarenka missed one chance to serve it out at 5-2 in the deciding set, conceding a break with a double-fault. She then missed a match point at 5-4 but held her nerve and finally finished it off on her second match point. The prospect of a match against another top four player so close to the Australian Open doesnt daunt Azarenka. "I dont think its ever too early. If you want to win big titles you got to play against the best players," she said. On the mens side, top-seeded Roger Federer coasted to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Marinko Matosevic of Australia and moved into a semifinal against No. 8 Jeremy Chardy of France. Second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan reached the semifinals with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win over Marin Cilic of Croatia and will next play former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt, who cruised past Romanian qualifier Marius Copil 6-4, 6-2. Both Williams sisters will be playing finals Saturday, with Venus Williams to face Ana Ivanovic in the title match at the WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. Venus Williams got a walkover into her first final since October 2012 when Jamie Hampton withdrew from their semifinal with a right hip injury. Ivanovic beat third-seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium 6-2, 7-6 (3). At the Hopman Cup, France clinched a place in the final against Poland with a victory over winless Spain. Alize Cornet beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-2 before Jo-Wilfried Tsonga sealed the victory by defeating 194th-ranked Daniel Munoz-De La Nava 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-2. The Czech Republic took a 3-0 win over the United States after John Isner withdrew ahead of his singles match and Sloane Stephens retired with a left wrist problem after losing the first set 6-3 to Petra Kvitova. Stitched Jerseys .com) - Rick Nash scored twice and Derek Stepan chipped in a goal with one assist as the New York Rangers claimed a 5-2 decision over Calgary at the Saddledome. Offcial Jerseys . All of 46 seconds into the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 victory over Alex Ovechkins struggling Washington Capitals, Crosby assisted on Chris Kunitzs goal. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/. The attacking midfielder arrives on a free transfer from Spains Malaga. The 28-year-old joins Scottish striker Kenny Miller and Argentine midfielder Matias Laba as designated players on the Whitecaps roster. Cheap Authentic Jerseys . The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made. By releasing Bailey, the Broncos would open up cap space with the 12-time Pro Bowl player scheduled to make around $10 million next season. Soccer Jerseys . “Momentum is only as good as the next days starter,” the long-time Baltimore Orioles manager famously quipped.WENGEN, Switzerland - Bode Miller has opted not to race on Sunday when the United States mens team seeks a third straight World Cup downhill victory.Miller opted for caution after a training run on Thursday, on his return to top-level skiing since undergoing back surgery in November.Im definitely not in race shape, Miller said after practice on a shortened version of the classic 4.4-kilometre (2.75-mile) course, the World Cups longest. Its a challenge, its hard to accept, but it is what it is.Miller came to Wengen aiming to intensify his preparation for a home world championships at Vail-Beaver Creek, Colorado, from Feb. 2-15.Still, the temptation was strong to start in the 85th edition of a storied Alpine race he has won twice.U.S. mens head coach Sasha Rearick said Miller took a tough but smart decision.It was difficult. Hes a competitor, said Rearick, adding that 37-year-old Miller was only getting wiser and smarter, and this is a wise decision.The Americans are still the team to beat after victories last month in Italy for Steven Nyman at Val Gardena and Travis Ganong at Santa Caterina.Guys know we are going to be in there, U.S. racer Marco Sullivan said. We can give each other course reports and really trust that everyone is skiing well.The U.S. men last had three successive downhill wins in 2004.These guys are mature enough to know what they are doing, Rearick said. But we have to step up our game and ski better than iin the last two days.ddddddddddddJansrud won the training run on Thursday which had the same top-3 finishers as Tuesdays opening practice despite starting lower down the mountain because of strong winds.Olympic champion Matthias Mayer of Austria trailed 0.45 seconds behind Kjetil Jansrud of Norway, winner of the seasons first two downhills. Carlo Janka of Switzerland, the 2010 Lauberhorn winner, was 0.96 behind on a track that should be much icier on Sunday.The Lauberhorn race has been switched from the traditional Saturday slot because of forecast fog and snowfalls up to 20 centimetres (8 inches). The slalom event, which can be run in poorer visibility, has been brought forward from Sunday.Forecasted gusts of up to 130 kph (80 mph) could affect the super-combined event on Friday, when Miller has been allowed a further practice as a forerunner for later starters. The opening downhill portion is expected to start below the signature Hundschopf cliff-face jump or even further down the slope.A dry, clear, freezing day is forecast on Sunday for the biggest event in this Alpine nations sports calendar, complete with formation fly pasts by Swiss air force jets.The host team has won four of the past six years since Millers second title.Theres so many tricky sections, and long flat sections afterward, that if you have mistakes in those tricky parts your day is over, Ganong said. Its such a hard race because of that. ' ' '