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Fired up ... Sharapova was in control from start to finish against Williams. Source: Dita Alangkara / AAP
Seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams became another Maria Sharapova victim as the Russian took her astonishing Australian Open start up a notch in the third round.
Sharapova, 25, whose preparation for the tournament was limited by a collarbone injury, had gone through the first two rounds without losing a game, blitzing fellow Russian Olga Puchkova and Japan's Misaki Doi.
Australian Open: Ladies Singles
Round 3, 18/01/13
Unlike those victims, Williams at least made it onto the scoreboard as Sharapova won 6-1 6-3.
Williams had been expected to give the No.2 seed her first real fight of the tournament.
But Sharapova, who won the Open in 2008 and lost last year's final to Victoria Azarenka, dominated from the start.
She won the first four games, making it 28 in succession to start her tournament, before Williams held serve to ensure she would avoid a whitewash.
It was a blip as the Russian played clinical tennis to race through the next five games.
Click here for a full list of the day's Australian Open results.
It was only when Sharapova first served for the match at 5-1 that Williams provided substantial resistance, breaking serve for the first time.
That prolonged the match for two more games.
Sharapova will meet unseeded Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in the fourth round, after Flipkens beat Russia's Valeria Savinykh on Friday.
Australian Open: Ladies Singles
Round 3, 18/01/13
| Iva (13) | 7 | 6 |
| Jan (22) | 5 | 3 |
Sharapova said it the meeting with Williams was something she had been eyeing since the draw was announced.
"No matter what she's ranked or seeded she's always a very tough opponent,'' Sharapova said.
"I was very determined out there and really wanted this victory.''
Meanwhile, Ana Ivanovic, seeded 13, defeated compatriot Jelena Jankovic, the 22nd seed, 7-5 6-3 in the third round on Friday.
Radwanska had an easier pathway, continuing her stunning form with a 6-3 6-1 win over young Briton Heather Watson.
Australian Open: Ladies Singles
Round 3, 18/01/13
The fourth seed has already won titles in Auckland and Sydney and is yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park on her progression through to the last 16.
Crowd favourite and former finalist Li Na of China, meets German Julia Goerges after defeating Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-4 6-1.
Australian Open: Ladies Singles
Round 3, 18/01/13
A second German, the fifth-ranked Angelique Kerber, also made it to the last 16 with a 6-2 7-5 victory over rising American star Madison Keys.
Radwanska and Watson, a 20-year-old from Guernsey, had met once before - at Wimbledon, last year where the Pole was the eventual runner-up.
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"It's great that I am already playing my best tennis at the beginning of the year,'' Radwanska said after her win on Wednesday.
"I just hope I can keep playing on the same level through the rest of the tournament.''
Watson managed her first service break points in the final game but watched them evaporate as Radwanska clawed her way to deuce.
An ace brought up match point, which she seized on as the British woman netted a return.
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