Venus sets up Safina semi

LONDON: Defending champion Venus Williams closed yesterday on a sixth Wimbledon title with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska whose quarterfinal challenge melted in the searing heat.

It will be the 29-year-old American's eighth semifinal appearance in 10 years here and she next tackles Dinara Safina, the world No 1 and top seed, who will be playing in her first Wimbledon semifinal.

Venus, bidding to become the first woman to win a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles since Steffi Graf's three-in-a-row from 1991 to 1993, has now won 32 consecutive sets at the All England Club, a run stretching back to the third round in 2007.