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Different semis, same old results for Williamses
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-03 10:00 Venus, who was beaten by Safina when they met in the Italian Open semi-finals just two months ago, was delighted that the sisters were back where they belonged. "I'm happy for Serena to be in the final but I have to face her and defeat her. I don't necessarily want her to lose, but for sure I want me to win," said Venus, chasing a hat-trick of Wimbledon singles titles, and her sixth overall. "I don't like to ever see her disappointed in any way. But at the same time, I don't want to see myself disappointed. "But if she didn't win (her semi-final) or if I didn't win then the dream doesn't come true that we're both playing in the final. So I definitely want to play against her, because the dream has come true for both of us and for our family, too."
While Venus kept that dream alive by stroking winners with the relaxed air of a woman on a sun-lounger sipping a Pina Colada, Serena could not believe what had hit her. In a match featuring sinew-stretching rallies, crafty angles and thundering serves, Dementieva completely neutralised Serena's power game to take the first set. But Serena broke the spell to gallivant into a 3-1 lead only to see the Russian defy logic and come back stronger and harder at her. Since the American's forehand "didn't show up today and went on vacation to Hawaii" she turned to her B-plan, to try and play round her erring stroke.
The Russian had four chances to break back in the next game but was undone by two venomous Serena aces and two errant shots from her own racket, much to the dismay of the shrieking Dementieva who crouched down behind the baseline and covered her face in disbelief. Still the Russian would not give up but could do little when her 3-1 lead in the third set disappeared in a blink of the eye as Serena roared herself on to stay in the match. At 3.40 pm local time, Dementieva looked to have one foot in the final but then her head started to spin and 23 minutes later Serena had completed one of her greatest ever escape acts. "I wasn't sure if it's Serena or Andy Roddick on the other side of the net, 125mph all the time," the 27-year-old Dementieva said summing up her experience of facing 20 aces during the match. The demise of Russians ensured the most famous family in women's tennis will come out for a fourth Williams final in south-west London and with the sisters locked at 10-10 in their head-to-heads, it promises to be an intriguing affair.
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