Serena Williams into semifinals at ASB classic. VIDEO / Sky Sport
Slowly but surely Serena Williams is finding her A game, which spells danger for her remaining opponents in Auckland.
It has taken two visits, and five matches at the ASB Classic, but today the American superstar showed some of the elements that have made her an all-time great.
At times it was thunder and lightning tennis, with opponent Laura Siegemund caught in the storm, and the ball speed Williams generated was frightening, even where she was off balance or out of position.
But aside from the tremendous shot-making and brutal power, there was also her trademark grit, as she dug herself out of tricky situations.
Williams will face much tougher opponents than world No73 Siegemund this year, but the German has been in good form this week and certainly wasn't intimidated today.
It wasn't perfect from Williams, but it was her best display of the week, as she defeated Siegemund 6-4 6-3 in just under 90 minutes.
"It was good for me to fight," said Williams. "She has a good game and she stepped up and hit a lot of good winners so it wasn't really easy. I had to step up and play a little better."
The windy conditions continue to be testing, although Williams is taking a much more positive attitude than 2017, and it was hard not to sympathise with her today.
Serving from the Redwood end was particularly difficult, and at one point early in the second set Williams looked exasperated, as the ball disappeared behind her, caught by a gust, just as she was setting up for the shot.
"That was definitely the rougher end," said Williams. "I'm trying to have a more positive attitude but I got a little negative in the end. It was just so windy.
"Even the last game, man it was crazy but I ended up winning those games, which was good. It's just good preparation, right?"
Serena Williams celebrates during her quarter-final victory. Photo / Photosport
Williams is used to enclosed arenas, or large stadium courts, that aren't generally as exposed as Auckland can be. She's adjusting, but it seems to affect her more than players with a more conservative style.
Williams got so befuddled she even invented a new word after the match.
"I am definitely not super comfortable," said Williams. "I'm trying, I feel I would do a little bit better if I wasn't hitting every shot in a 'commundra' of wind, but we are both in the same conditions. She was fine with it, so I've just got to do a little bit better."
But Williams is building momentum nicely, for the remainder of the ASB Classic and the Aussie Open in Melbourne.
"I definitely feel that way," she said, pointing out there is no substitute for match fitness.
"I feel like my match [on Thursday] was great, I went three sets [and] it was great that I ran so much. I came out today overall feeling better and doing better."
Early on, Siegemund struggled to deal with the pace Williams can generate, framing three consecutive shots, the third falling out of play.
But as she adapted, she showed the capacity to trouble Williams, particularly with her drop shots.
But the American can shift gears when she needs to. From 4-4, 30-30, she unleashed consecutive aces, followed by a huge roar of "C'mon!"
Then, with Siegemund serving to stay in the set, Williams pushed the go button, with two brilliant passing shots, including a backhand from behind her body on the run to bring up set point.
Williams was broken early in the second set, and looked in trouble serving at 1-3, 0-40, into the teeth of the wind — but she recovered to hold, then won four of the next five games. An angled ace brought up match point, before another backhand winner, as the crowd stood to salute the 23-time Grand Slam winner.
