Venus may struggle to generate many more chances for an eighth Grand Slam crown, but threw her considerable weight of opinion behind sister Serena’s claims to this year’s and a sixth Wimbledon title.
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Monday’s victory improved her career record against Venus to 15-11, including 8-5 in Grand Slams and 4-2 at Wimbledon.
Williams is now just three matches away from winning her fourth straight major, but her streak was almost ended by Azarenka in the third round at Roland Garros. Venus failed to call on a Serena ace that looked long at game point at 4-3 down in the second set.
The Centre Court boomed when both got up and running, Serena taking the first two games and then handing them back for 2-2.
Serena blasted mercilessly past 35-year-old Venus as the Williams sisters met for the 26th time in their careers in Wimbledon’s last 16, and their first meeting in SW19 in six years.
Never a fan of losing to her sibling – who would be?
In their first trip to the French Open, both came in looking to win the elusive Grand Slam.
Sharapova will next play the victor of the other quarterfinal on Centre Court between five-time champion Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
Serena broke twice in each set and lost serve just once.
At Wimbledon, it was plain to see who had the most clout amongst the famous faces, as Legend and Teigen were ensconced in the Williams box (John Legend is close friends with Serena’s ex Common), while Drake had to sit outside the box. So surely any time Serena is swinging at history, you would hope to include Venus in the on-court narrative? “She’s a really tough opponent”, the 20-year-old said.
The top-ranked American will meet either ex- world No 1 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus or rising Swiss talent Belinda Bencic on Tuesday.
2002, final, Serena beat Venus 7-6 (7/4) 6-3: More like it. The awesome resolve about Serena’s victory silenced the grumbles of some of her vanquished opponents that the Williams family dominance was bad for tennis.
The 45-year-old has overseen seven of Serena’s 20 grand slam triumphs, further enhancing his already-burgeoning reputation. Serena, Keys and Vandeweghe give the United States three Wimbledon women’s quarterfinalists for the first time since 2004.
It had been five years since they played each other at the big down under tournament, and the first time it happened in the final.
Agnieszka Radwanska is back in the Wimbledon semifinals for the third time in four years.
Before play got started at Wimbledon on Tuesday, the All England Club took a moment to remember the victims of the 2005 London bombings on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. “I had set goals of what I wanted to do, and because I’m achieving it doesn’t mean it’s a breakthrough”.
Earlier, Serena Williams sank her sister Venus in a battle of the all-conquering Wimbledon titans on Monday as Maria Sharapova dug deep to join the world number one in reaching the quarter-finals. Ten of the Williams sisters’ matches have lasted three sets. I wasn’t serving as hard as usual to try and, again, not allow him the opportunity to go for huge returns or try to come to the net off the second serve return. To make it to the semifinals, Wawrinka will have to beat 21st-seeded Richard Gasquet of France on Wednesday.
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Stanford products Bob and Mike Bryan, the top seeds in men’s doubles, defeated Mate Pavic of Croatia and Michael Venus of New Zealand 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-1 in their third-round match.
