Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Champion Venus powers into semis

WIMBLEDON
Date: 22 June - 5 July
Coverage: BBC One, BBC Two, BBC HD, Red Button, website streaming (UK only) and text commentary, 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC iPlayer
Tennis on the BBC

By Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Wimbledon

Venus Williams
Williams is through to her eighth semi-final at Wimbledon

Defending champion Venus Williams is closing in on a sixth Wimbledon title after a crushing win over Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter-finals.

The American, 29, had too much power and athleticism, winning 6-1 6-2 despite heavy strapping on her knee.

She will play world number one Dinara Safina or unseeded 19-year-old German Sabine Lisicki in the last four.

Serena Williams faces Victoria Azarenka, and Elena Dementieva plays Francesca Schiavone later on Tuesday.

Venus wasted little time in seeing off the 11th seed Radwanska on a scorching day at the All England Club.

I'm in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, it's where I want to be and I'm looking to go further

Venus Williams

The champion clambered all over the Radwanska serve from the start on Court One and, despite some valiant scrambling from the Pole, Williams converted her fourth break point to go 2-0 clear.

Within 18 minutes the American was 5-0 up and when Radwanska, 20, did get on the board it only provided temporary relief, and the chance for the crowd to finally get involved, before Williams wrapped up the set in 28 minutes with an ace.

Radwanska looked to be coping better with the pace at the start of the second but it still came as a shock when she got to 0-40 in game two and converted her first chance to break.

It was hardly a crisis for Williams, however, and she broke twice in succession before firing a magnificent cross-court backhand winner to get to 5-2, and sealed victory soon after with a huge forehand into the corner.

"She plays the ball so low and so fast, I'm happy to get through," Williams told BBC Sport.

"I'm in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, it's where I want to be and I'm looking to go further."

Asked about a possible final against her sister, she added: "That would be fantastic, it's what Serena and I want, but we still have to play well and bring our best tennis to the the court."

ะพ 4:27 AM

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