Top seed Williams showed no mercy towards the world number 50, easing to victory in double-quick time to move just one victory away from equalling Steffi Graf’s Open-Era record of winning 22 major titles.
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The Championships at Wimbledon are nearly over for another year.
And she wound up as the oldest woman in the final four at a major since 1994.
In a serving masterclass, Serena fired down 11 aces and lost only three points on serve all match against the Russian, and just five in total in the second-set bagel.
Should she win, it would be a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title and a measure of revenge over Kerber, who beat her for the Australian Open title earlier this year.
Serena took down unseeded Elena Vesnina in straight sets in her semifinals matchup, winning 6-2, 6-0.
“I’m very happy”, Serena said on the court following the match.
Angelique Kerber has set up an Australian Open final rematch with Serena Williams after ending hopes of another all-sister title showdown at the All England Club.
Asked whether she would return to Wimbledon next year, Williams told reporters: “I would love to, it’s all in the plans”.
Venus Williams played her first semi-final since 2010. “So that’s why I think I was a little bit nervous at the beginning”.
“I think I played a lot of good points today”, said Angelique Kerber in her semifinal press conference. “I know that I have to take time for my practice and focus on the gym and the tennis as well”. Kerber will be playing in her first Wimbledon final.
“Let’s be real, I’m guessing it’s a combination of fatigue and her freezing”.
Commentator John McEnroe said after that “Serena’s practice session this morning was harder than that match”, and he wasn’t lying. When you talk with her, it’s always a great honour to speak with her. “She was really enjoying herself”.
She blasted the Russian off Centre Court in just 48min 34sec, the fastest ever semi-final at the All England Club.
If Venus could beat Kerber, Serena said, “It would be great”. She insisted Thursday that she is more relaxed and more confident on the court because of that big moment. Venus held her serve only once.
“It was a real disappointment for Venus after playing so well and such a remarkable story by coming back at the age of 36”.
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Williams romped to her ninth Wimbledon final, ruthlessly dispatching a 29-year-old who before this week had never got past the fourth round in singles at a slam. Vesnina was able to save once in the seventh, but drops the eighth game to Williams, 40-0.
