Venus, Serena Williams Into Wimbledon Semifinals

by Staff | June 30th, 2009, 12:37 pm
  • 68 Comments

Five-time champion Venus Williams and her younger sister Serena are one step away from a second consecutive all-Williams final at Wimbledon after powering into the semifinals on Tuesday.
ADHEREL
Venus overpowered Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-2, while Serena dismissed Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-3.

“Do I feel invincible?” Venus Williams said. “I’d like to say yes, but I really do work at it.”

The elder Williams again had her left leg taped but has yet to give an explanation for the possible problem.


“She was serving and hitting the ball so strong,” Radwanska said of Venus. “Her tennis is so powerful. Today she was playing so good, it was very hard to do anything. If she will play like this, she will one more time this tournament.”

Venus will next face top-ranked Dinara Safina, who despite 15 double-faults beat unseeded German teenager Sabine Lisicki 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1.

“I was Santa Claus on the court, serving so many double-faults,” said Safina, appearing in her first Wimbledon semifinals. “I was tough mentally, that was the key today.”

Serena will face No. 4-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva, who easily dismissed unseeded Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-2. It is the second consecutive year in the semis for Dementieva, who has yet to reach a career Wimbledon final after an 0-2 record in French Open and US Open finals.

The Williams sisters are attempting to put at least one sister in the final for an amazing nine of the last 10 years.

“We are definitely the front-runners in tennis as far as being some of the best players out there,” Venus said. “I just think that the style of game that Serena and I play, that particular style we play better than the other women.”


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68 Comments for Venus, Serena Williams Into Wimbledon Semifinals

Andrew Miller Says:

This is an “old guys” Wimbledon: Fed, Roddick, Ferrero, Haas, Hewitt, Djokovic (a young veteran, that), and Andy Murray (another young veteran). Wonder if all the changes in the sport (string technology, slowing down of surfaces), etc) benefits veterans, or players that play veteran style (Nadal, Djokovic, Murray) more than it does the new guard…


huh Says:

Ha ha, very good stuff by Andrew re young veterans. Lol !


huh Says:

Hopefully, the battle royale for supremacy would be between
Her Majesty, Queen Venus-VII and Her Majesty, Queen Serena-X ! The grass’d bear the brunt of this hopefully-to-come epic battle, which’d end with the triumph of Her Majesty, Queen Venus-VII !!!!!


vared Says:

Pam Shriver is one catty old B.

Yesterday she cuts up Petrova’s dress- I hope she loses so we don’t have to see her dress anymore. Today she cuts up Safina and her tennis shirt saying it doesn’t fit right or something like that. I’m no fan of Safina and it looks like she eats a lot of cakes and pies but I think Pam should just have said, Safina has a fat stomach and it’s sticking out of her shirt.
It is not Pam’s job to be the Anna Wintour of tennis. I don’t remember hearing her criticizing that disastrous tie-dyed blue outfit of Serena’s when she looked like two pounds of baloney in a one pound bag.
God, women’s tennis is awful except for a few bright stars. I will not be watching the Williams final.


jane Says:

vared I don’t know if I will either. If by chance that Dementieva or Safina cause an upset and get through to face one of the W sisters (or each other even!) then I will definitely tune in. But like JCZ said, I find the W sisters matches awkward for some reason. I must be strange to compete like that for GS titles. But they do deserve kudos for their accomplishments – I mean wow! What can you say? The other girls need to serve better and compete mentally at a higher level.


Skorocel Says:

Andrew Miller: I found your post interesting & amusing as well :-) Anyway, good point! I was actually thinking about the same, since when you look at previous years, you could find lots of “elder” names who did well on this particular tourney (for example Schüttler or Björkman)…


tennisbebe Says:

“Her Majesty, Queen Venus-VII and Her Majesty, Queen Serena-X!” Please, don’t make me vomit.


jane Says:

From a yahoo article – “Nothing should be taken away from the excellence of the Williams sisters on the London grass, but their sheer dominance has done nothing for the spectacle of the event.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/blog/ten_experts/post/Wimbledon-Slice-Day-8-Time-to-step-up?urn=ten,173860

I have to agree; when matches become predictable, and especially when they become routs on a regular basis (every player can have one rout here and there, which is different), it can become kind of boring or deadening- even when the tennis, as displayed by the sisters, is excellent/dominant. It takes the excitement out of watching for most spectators.

I hope the women’s semis are not quite as lopsided.

BTW, in Serena’s presser she was asked if fans are getting their money’s worth when matches are over so quickly (she said yes), and yet she also said she is “ready” to play 5-setters from the quarters on. Interesting…


Von Says:

Skorocel:

“I was actually thinking about the same, since when you look at previous years, you could find lots of “elder” names who did well on this particular tourney (for example Schüttler or Björkman)…’

Wimby seem to bring out the best in some of the older players.


huh Says:

Hey tennisbebe, don’t vomit or you’d have to clean it yourself. ;)


tenisbebe Says:

Anyone watching this Serena/Elena match? Go Elena!!! Yes a mini break in TB.


tenisbebe Says:

1st set Elena! Thought this would be the better of the 2 SF’s and it’s certainly started out that way.


tenisbebe Says:

Good hold from Serena. The crowd is a little quiet.


Kimmi Says:

thanks tenisbebe, I did not see this article. This match needs a third set.


tenisbebe Says:

Boy, Elena’a serving is falling off these last 2 service games and Serena is giving her less pace to work with, mixing it up. Serena breaks!


Kimmi Says:

Serena breaks, by the Hawkeye. Who says hawk eye is not good for tennis ?


tenisbebe Says:

Yeah – go HE!!


tenisbebe Says:

Uh oh. 15-40 Elena.


Kimmi Says:

C’mon Serena hold. Wow elena is aggressive.


tenisbebe Says:

Oh my, a 2nd serve ace from S to save one.


Kimmi Says:

Duece…lucky serena


Kimmi Says:

Elena, more aggressive here..uh ha..ACE !


tenisbebe Says:

Serena’s definitely gotten less aggressive with her shots.


Kimmi Says:

Eventually !!!..we have the third set


tenisbebe Says:

Ahhhhhh! Elena misses the gimme shot for the game to tie it up. Controlled aggression Elena. Serena holds and takes the 2nd. Woo hoo! A 3rd set!


Kimmi Says:

serena very poor approach shot


tenisbebe Says:

Yes. And Wow! that was a smokin BH from Elena to end the game.


tenisbebe Says:

Wow! Elena breaks. Let’s see how tough she is and if can hold.


Kimmi Says:

Serena is just waiting for demantieva errors. She needs to step it up.


tenisbebe Says:

She definitely got some in that last game….those 2 short balls that Elena should have had.


Kimmi Says:

Solid game from serena. She hold.


tenisbebe Says:

Only the 2nd dropper of the match & it worked.


Kimmi Says:

This match can go either way. maybe it now time for Elena to win her forst GS.


Kimmi Says:

easy hold for serena


Kimmi Says:

Elena holds. She is serving first in this set..an advantage. Serena needs not to slip up here


tenisbebe Says:

Good hold for Elena at 40-0. I think Elena breaks here.


Kimmi Says:

match point elena


Shaky Says:

Serena really doesn’t need to be looking to go to net. Ever.

What a match though holy cow.


tenisbebe Says:

Close but no…


Kimmi Says:

Dementieva running FH cross court is dangerous


tenisbebe Says:

Kimmi Says:”Dementieva running FH cross court is dangerous” That was a beautiful shot.


Kimmi Says:

danger serena


Shaky Says:

Talk about pressure serving to save your butt!


Kimmi Says:

Wow wow, serena is a fighter


tenisbebe Says:

Elena is not going away either.


Tennis Freak Says:

Those were the two best points I have seen in a long time in woman’s tennis. And Sarena holds to level 6-6 in the 3rd.


Tennis Freak Says:

Looks like Sarena now wins, securing 2 Williams in the final.


Kimmi Says:

Wow serena. great shots to win that break point. can she serve for it….


tenisbebe Says:

TF – Wait, Serena’s 1st serve has not been there the past couple service games & Elena is attacking her 2nd well.


Kimmi Says:

oh no..double fault


Shaky Says:

TF – you’re doing it again!


Kimmi Says:

Best women match so far. Great semi final match.
demantieva was soooooo close


tenisbebe Says:

Great match!! Finally, Elena missed that BH down the line which she loves at MP. Congrats Serena. Good job Elena!


Skorocel Says:

What a choker this Dementieva is! I’d be happy for her to win that darn grandslam title, but when one’s afraid of winning, then what can you do? Congrats to Serena on a job well done!


tenisbebe Says:

Well Kudos to both players. Elena did not fold mentally after she lost the 2nd & hung tough in the 3rd. Hopefully she’ll take away alot of positives from this.


Tennis Freak Says:

Shaky,
I will stop the day I get 3rd time wrong in my getting-ahead cruise.
I have to say both played amazing tennis !


Kimmi Says:

Was venus too good or was it Safina too bad…how can a number 1 player get only 2 games in a semi final match of a grand slam. Disgraceful.

Another williams sisters final and looks like it will be another venus victory.


Kimmi Says:

Did i say, safina gets 2 games…It is actually one game…6-1 6-0 shame shame shame.

I feel for demantieva, she played very well and still lost.


Von Says:

Did Venus put a beat-down on Safina or what! WOW. That match reminds me of Serena v. Sharapova at the AO. Those Williams sisters will do that to anyone they perceive to be an enemy. I suppose Venus perceives Safina to be Serena’s enemy.
___________________
Skorocel: I was hoping that Dementieva would win Wimby this year — she sure disappoints and you’re right she is a choker. It almost seems that she’s afraid to take that final step, always holding back. For what, or when, I’d like to know — the time is now Elena. One of the four things Shakespeare says that comes not back is: ‘the lost opportunity’. Elena had her window of opportunity and she blew by choking. sheesh.


jane Says:

Dementieva showed some mettle and gave us one good women’s semifinal. I wish she’d’ve won so we’d see a different final than last year, but somehow this Williams sister final seemed destined.

Back to the drawing board, or dressing room, or whatever for Safina. It’s disappointing for sure. But I am surprised she even made it this far considering, like her brother before her, she feels grass is her worst surface.

She is consistent though – AO finals, FO final, Wimbledon semis, Madrid and (i think?) Rome titles on clay, etc. So that’s why she’s stayed at the top, that consistency. She hasn’t played a lot more than Serena, only 2 more tournaments. So it’s not like she’s wracking up points that way either. She just can’t seem to come through on the big occasions just yet. But I hope she will in the future, for her own sake (I can take her or leave her, though she is a fighter, which I admire).


huh Says:

Venus would win her 6th Wimbledon! BEST OF LUCK VENUS and WORST OF LUCK SERENA!


Skorocel Says:

6-1 6-0?! If Jankovic is a disgrace to No. 1 ranking, then Safina is the queen of disgraces! LOL Dinara, that was priceless!


Skorocel Says:

Von: Exactly! I mean, I didn’t see the entire match (saw mainly the 1st and 3rd set), but still, I could clearly see how tense she was in the important moments… For example, that matchpoint which the Russian had on Williams’ serve – even though Serena hit a pretty solid volley, it was more than possible for Elena to make a winning pass, yet she dumped it to the net… What a pity! Don’t know about you, but personally, I consider Dementieva’s game to be the most attractive from all the Russians. She’s got phenomenal groundstrokes, great movement, and also an appropriate physique (which is so required on the WTA tour these days). Heck, even her serve (which used to be a liability) has improved over the years! BUT, when you don’t have it sorted between the ears, then it’s not gonna work… Pity!


Kimmi Says:

Match between Serena and Elena could have gone either way, it was that close. I would not put it too down on demantiueva. I thought she played very well thrughout. There was not too much loss of concentartion from both in this match. Very few points have been lost rather than won. I think this is the best I have seen her play a close fought match.

Her serve especially impresses me, her second serve was so hard and properly placed too. It was consistent ..serena had ahard time to return it. Hope she gets another oppoturnity in a grand slam and win the big matches this time. She is a darling.


MMT Says:

Kimmi: purely in terms natural pulchritude, she’s definitely one of the most beautiful on tour.


jane Says:

Kimmi: I too was surprised by how much Elena had improved her serve; as we know, that’s always been a weakness. But with it firing like that, there’s no reason she won’t be a real force during the hardcourt season. This is one girl I’d love to see win her first slam.


MMT Says:

Ironically, grass may have been a great chance for Dementieva because the court gives so much on the slice serve, which she basically does all the time on second serves. But she won the Olympics on hard courts, and here best results have all been on hard courts. I’d love to see her…win that is.


Skorocel Says:

correction: Just saw a replay of that MP which Elena had on Serena’s serve… Should read “hit a pretty solid FH approach shot”

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