Venus, the oldest player in the women’s field, has made a remarkable resurgence in her 19th appearance at Wimbledon.
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The German beat Serena to claim her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne and could even finish Wimbledon as the world No. 1, if she wins the title and Serena fails to make the final. Her win sets up the enticing prospect of a final showdown with sister Venus.
Asked about a potential final meeting, she added: “It will be great”.
The 36-year-old said she never considered retirement during her six year battle with an auto-immune disease, as that would have been the “easy way out”.
“To be 36 and also to carry an auto-immune disorder, I can not even comprehend how tough that is day in and day out”.
“I admire her. I’m always watching”.
Nostalgic favourite Venus Williams, a five-time Wimbledon victor, yesterday moved a step closer to a final showdown with sister and defending champion Serena.
“But she still believes”.
“What a day it was against an opponent who was just on fire”, she said. Everyone plays well.She could have easily won that match, as well. But I want her to win so bad – obviously not in the final if I’m there. Match by match I was playing better and better.
The defending champion, seeking an elusive 22nd grand slam to equal Steffi Graf’s open-era record, took the first set after finding a chink in her opponent’s serving armoury in the ninth game.
“Of course, this is great for both of us but when you’re a player, you’re so focused on the next match and that’s what we’re both focused on”.
Some players may be daunted by facing top seed Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semi-finals, but Elena Vesnina is relishing the opportunity.
She changed that on Tuesday, a straight-set victor as sister Serena, the world No. 1, stepped on court to begin what would be a straight-set win for her, as well.
After taking 30 slams to land her breakthrough in Merlbourne, Kerber is now eyeing a second in six months after denying Romanian fifth seed Simona Halep 7-5 7-6 (7-2) in a rollercoaster encounter earlier on Tuesday that featured 13 breaks in 24 service games. She has turned back the clock and has played inspiring tennis. Elegant, charming and graceful, her humility and good will is as genuine as it is perplexing.
“I had some good wins, I was close to be in the quarter-final a couple of times, but it was not good enough”.
The Slovakian can at least take comfort that she does not have to postpone her wedding, which can now go ahead as planned on Saturday. “Yeah, I think I’m playing like in Australia, like really high-class tennis”, Kerber said after the match.
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Venus Williams of the U.S serves to Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain during their women’s singles match on day eight of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 4, 2016.
