Maria Sharapova eases into the semi-finals of the Brisbane International after defeating Kaia Kanepi. Sharapova triumphed over the Estonian athlete with 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. She will face long-time rival Serena Williams, who beat Dominika Cibulkova in two straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in the semi-finals of the said tournament.

There is no doubt that the Queensland crowd will be treated with an epic showdown between Sharapova and Williams in the semi-finals match which will take place on Friday. Their rivalry is one of the most celebrated rivalries in modern tennis, on and off the tennis court.

Sharapova: Brisbane International Matches are "Extremely Important"

The beautiful Russian athlete continued her winning streak in her competitive comeback from injury at the Brisbane International. She first defeated Carolina Garcia of France during the first round match held on Monday evening. She was supposed to meet Australian Ashleigh Barty, but the match did not take place due to Barty's small tear in her left abductor. Sharapova, then, faced Kanepi in the second round match. She lost in the first round but managed to bag the victory in second and third rounds.

"It's been four months," said Sharapova in an interview after her first round match. "It was a big step for me. She revealed that she felt good during the match and felt no pain at all. "These matches are what I came here for," she added. "No matter the opponent or the situation, you know, they're really priceless for me at this point, and extremely important," Sharapova said.

Top-ranked Williams at the Brisbane International

Williams started the 2014 Brisbane with her victory over Andrea Petkovic, 6-4 6-4, and she is indeed focused on having a better 2014 season, even though she already did well during the 2013 season.

"It was an intense match," said Williams after defeating Petkovic. "It was a good match for me," she added.

She, then, downed Slovakia's Dominica Cibulkova in two straight sets. Williams dominated the match and never let Cibulkova come back in the set at every phase. Williams had met Cibulkova three times, where she won all matches.

Sharapova and Williams definitely mean business in Brisbane International. Who will prevail in their semi-finals match?

Click here to see the head-to-head stats of Sharapova and Williams as reported by MatchStat.com