It took 58 minutes Tuesday afternoon for Serena Williams to assure Maria Sharapova — and everyone else on the women’s tour — that her stirring Australian Open victory over the former top-ranked Russian was no fluke.

In fact, Williams beat Sharapova even more thoroughly this time. She made the typically ferocious Russian look ordinary and frustrated during a 6-1, 6-1 victory in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne.

The last time they played, two months ago in the Australian Open final, Williams beat Sharapova 6-1, 6-2. In other words, over the two tournaments, Williams leads 24 games to five.

When the torturous match was finally over for Sharapova, who double-faulted eight times, she practically sprinted off the court. She already was well into the tunnel when the stadium announcer asked the audience to give her a hand.

Williams, meanwhile, was prancing around with a giant smile and her index finger raised to the sky. On paper, she is the world’s 18th-ranked player, but in her mind, she is still No. 1, as she was in 2002-03. She said coming into the match that when she’s playing her best, the only people who can beat her are the men on the ATP tour.