Serena Williams v Zvonareva in Wimbledon Final
Serena was expected, but No. 21-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva?
ADHEREL
World No. 1 Serena Williams will meet the Russian in the Wimbledon final on Saturday after each advanced in not-so-easy fashion on Thursday. Zvonareva reached her first Grand Slam final by beating Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Serena defeated Petra Kvitova 7-6(5), 6-2. Both losers in the semifinals were unseeded.
“It was one of my dreams to be out there on Centre Court, playing in the finals of Wimbledon,” Zvonareva said. “I’m sure when the tournament finishes, I’ll finally realize I was able to make the final and one of my dreams came true.”
Not real confident sounding.
Williams brings a 12-3 record in Grand Slam finals into the championship match, and is 3-2 in Wimbledon finals, lifting the trophy in 2002, 2003 and 2009. She was runner-up in 2004 and 2008. A heavy favorite in the final, the younger Williams sister is 5-1 career against Zvonareva, and this will be their first meeting on grass.
“Serena is a great player,” Zvonareva said. “It’s very difficult when she’s serving well, but there are moments she doesn’t make a first serve. I haven’t seen anyone make 100% of first serves. You just have to take your chances then. I remember I played a very good match against her in Cincinnati one year. It was a very, very tough one, but I was able to play the right way against her.”
The final is vindication for Zvonareva, who last year badly injured her right ankle, dropped out of the Top 5, then on her return won only 13 of her 23 matches.
“I was frustrated when my injuries weren’t going away, but I knew a soon as I felt 100%, I’d be able to play good tennis again,” Zvonareva said. “I can work hard every day, and I believe that if you work hard, you will achieve. It was a matter of time.”
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