Sport | Tennis
Big W all set for Sister Slam
Venus powers past Safina while Serena tames Dementieva to enter tomorrow's Wimbledon final.
- Agenciesmberg
- Published: 19:14 July 2, 2009
- Serena Williams of U.S. returns to Elena Dementieva of Russia, during their women's singles semifinal on the Centre Court at Wimbledon on Thursday.
- Image Credit: AP
London: Venus Williams will play her sister Serena in tomorrow's Wimbledon final after a crushing 6-1, 6-0 victory over top seed Dinara Safina of Russia on Thursday.
It was the most one-sided women's semifinal in 40 years.
Venus will be playing in her eighth Wimbledon title match. "It's my eighth final here and it's a dream to be able to have the opportunity to hold the trophy again" said Venus.
Earlier sister Serena had saved a match point en route to beating Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva in a pulsating three-set clash on a sultry Centre Court.
The second-seeded American won 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 8-6 in a match lasting 2 hours, 49 minutes. It is the longest in the history of the women's tournament.
Dementieva compared the brutal serving power of Serena to facing Andy Roddick, the fastest server in the men's game.
"It's not easy to fight against her. She's a great champion and she served so well that I wasn't sure if I was facing Serena Williams or Andy Roddick out there," said Dementieva.
"Her first serve percentage was huge, she was serving around 120mph."
Olympic champion Dementieva, whose best Grand Slam performances remain runners-up spots at the 2004 French and US Opens, said she regretted her choice of shot on match point when she led 5-4 in the final set.
With Serena approaching the net, the Russian went cross-court, rather than down the line, and the American gleefully accepted her opportunity with a simple saving backhand.
"That's my only regret. I should have taken more of a risk by going down the line," said the 27-year-old.
Neither Serena or Dementieva had lost a set in the tournament before today. After swapping service breaks in the first two games, the first set went on serve, with Dementieva coming back from 0-40 in the eighth game.
The Serena-Dementieva match was tied at one set apiece when Serena fought back from 15-40 in the next game, completing her comeback with an ace and taking the final three games.
The players traded breaks in the fourth and fifth games of the final set, and Serena then saved a match point in the 10th game with a volley. With no tie-break in the final sets at Wimbledon, Serena broke again in the 13th game and held serve to win.
The Williams sisters have won seven of the past nine Wimbledon finals, with Venus Williams taking her fifth title last year.
RESULTS
Women's singles semifinals:
Serena Williams (US) beat Elena Dementieva (RUS) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 8-6. Venus Williams (US) beat 1-Dinara Safina (Russia) 6-1 6-0.
Men's doubles semifinals:
Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (US/US) beat Wesley Moodie/Dick Norman (RSA/BEL) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.
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