( CNN ) -- The last time Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams , the Russian was just 17 . It was the final of the 2004 WTA Championships , and the victory capped her breakthrough year after an attention-grabbing first grand slam title at Wimbledon . Fast forward eight years , and history is repeating as the two biggest names in women 's tennis meet again in Sunday 's climax to the season-ending championships in Turkey . Neither ended 2004 ranked as No . 1 , and the same will be the case this time . Sharapova overpowered Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-2 in the second of Saturday 's semifinals , but the Belorussian had already guaranteed the year-end top spot by winning two of her group games . However , it was a measure of revenge for the second-ranked Russian , who lost to Azarenka in January 's Australian Open final , the U.S. Open semifinals and in two other tournament title matches -- the most recent in Beijing earlier this month . `` When you find yourself in a losing position a few times during the year , you want to try to figure out how to change those things around , '' Sharapova said . `` I certainly did n't make as many mistakes today as I did in our previous matches this year . `` I 'd lost to Victoria the last few times , so I 'm really happy I put myself in the semifinals to play against her and try to improve that -- I was hoping to have a better result , and I 'm happy I did today . '' While she ended her losing run against Azarenka , Sharapova must now break a streak of eight successive defeats against Williams -- who thrashed her in August 's Olympic final . The American , who won the WTA event in 2001 and 2009 , reached the final for the fifth time with a 6-2 6-1 demolition of fourth-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska in a rematch of July 's Wimbledon final . The Pole had been on court for three and a half hours in winning her final group match on Friday , and it showed as U.S. Open champion Williams -- who had a rest day -- needed just 61 minutes to complete victory . `` Those last two matches really killed me , '' Radwanska said . `` Especially that I did n't have the day off , and especially that surface -- it 's very sticky , so three and a half hours is a lot . `` I really tried today and I really wanted to run , but my legs just did n't . This is the kind of tournament where you have to be fit every match to win . `` I was trying , but Serena played too fast . I could n't do anything . '' Williams , playing her first tournament since claiming her 15th grand slam title in New York , has now won 17 matches in a row against top-five players and has lost just twice in her last 49 matches . `` I probably had an idea she was tired , '' the 31-year-old . `` I just told her that it was awesome she played so well and played through another match , after playing a good eight hours . It was really inspiring for me . '' Azarenka was last year 's runner-up but her hopes of reaching another final were seemingly hampered by an injury that left her in tears at times during the second set . She is 62-0 this year in matches where she has won the first set , but Sharapova improved her record in such circumstances to 51-1 . `` I 'm not going to say I was the freshest today , but I also do n't want to make any excuses , '' Azarenka said . `` I think Agnieszka felt much worse than me today . I saw her before the match and we looked at each other and we laughed really hard . That says it all . '' While Azarenka has just one grand slam to her name , she won five other tournaments this year , reached three more finals , claimed bronze at London 2012 and was ranked No . 1 for all but four weeks . `` I 'm really proud of what I 've done the whole year , '' the 23-year-old said . `` I started the year with No.3 and I finished with No.1 , which in numbers does n't seem like a huge jump , but we all know in reality it 's a pretty big difference . `` I finished the year a much more mature person . I 'm very proud of that too . The whole year was a lot of learning experience , trying new things and taking the whole journey with the good and a few bads -- I did n't have many . I can not complain about this year . '' Meanwhile , Roger Federer reached the final of his home Swiss Indoors event for the ninth time with a 7-5 6-4 win over France 's Paul-Henri Mathieu on Saturday . The world No . 1 is now level with John McEnroe on 875 career wins , leaving them equal fourth . If he beats his 2009 U.S. Open final conqueror Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday to win the Basel hard-court tournament for the sixth time , the 31-year-old will match American McEnroe on 77 top-level titles .
Maria Sharapova sets up final clash with Serena Williams at WTA Championships . She has lost to American in last eight encounters but beat her in the 2004 final . Sharapova defeats world No . 1 Victoria Azarenka in Saturday 's second semifinal . Williams cruised into her fifth final , beating fourth-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska .