Maria Sharapova is surprised to have dodged arch-nemesis Serena Williams at the Brisbane International but isn’t complaining.

Despite Williams struggling to keep her lofty standards early in 2014 as she failed in the opening three grand slams, Sharapova believes the peerless American remains as tough as ever.

Some may think Williams is becoming vulnerable at age 33 but all the world No.2 could think of was her rival’s 22-2 match record since Wimbledon.

Included in that run was an 18th grand slam title at the US Open and victory at the tour-ending championship.

The world No.1 also has a 16-2 head-to-head record against Sharapova, including 15 straight dating back to her run to the 2005 Australian Open title.

“You can’t say someone is on the edge of the cliff when they are number one in the world,” Sharapova said. “She still came through and finished the season strong.

“Even though she’s 33 years old she’s still very strong and very powerful and has so much experience and that shows when she plays on court.”

Sharapova picked up her fifth grand slam title last year at Roland Garros where Williams was bundled out in the second round before going just one round further into the draw at Wimbledon.

But even during Williams’ early-season slump she continued her stranglehold over the Russian in Miami.

With Williams choosing to play Hopman Cup this week, Sharapova is free of her tormentor in a Brisbane tournament featuring eight top-20 women plus unseeded pair Sam Stosur and Victoria Azarenka.

She fell in straight sets to the American in last year’s semi-final before Williams went on to defend her title against Azarenka.

“She’s had great success here so I think it’s a bit of a surprise for the tournament,” she said.

But Sharapova isn’t expecting an easy time without Williams, the Russian likely to face big-serving German Sabine Lisicki in the second round and world no.9 Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals.