WIMBLEDON, England — Venus and Serena Williams have dominated women’s tennis for so many years that there’s hardly an accomplishment they haven’t achieved.
But Thursday, each found a new way of leaving her imprint on the game, as Serena emerged victorious from the longest women’s semifinal of Wimbledon’s modern era, while Venus triumphed in the most lopsided.
The result was a Williams family dream come true. For the eighth time, the sisters will meet in the final of a Grand Slam event, with the All England Club providing the setting Saturday for a second consecutive year.
Serena, 27, had the far tougher road, fighting off a match point against Russia’s Elena Dementieva before prevailing 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 8-6 in a match that lasted 2 hours, 49 minutes.
Serena looked unbeatable entering Thursday’s semifinal. She hadn’t lost a set through five rounds of play and arrived at Wimbledon as title-holder of two of the last three majors (2008 U.S. Open and 2009 Australian Open).
But Dementieva had upgraded her fitness and overhauled her chronically shaky serve in the offseason. And she didn’t flinch in the face of Serena’s power, prevailing in a tiebreaker to win the opening set.
Serena jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second set, but Dementieva reeled off the next three games. Serving at 5-5, Dementieva missed two forehands — both of them tripped up by the net cord and sent wide — and was broken.
But even for Serena, who boasts the best serve in the women’s game, serving out the set wasn’t easy. She fought off four break points before drawing even at one set each.
Dementieva was the better mover as the third set wore on, while Serena was a step slow to the ball. But she compensated by playing better than Dementieva on the crucial points.
“It’s quite difficult to play against her on grass because of her serve and because of the groundstrokes that she has,” Dementieva said. “But there is no one unbeatable, I think, if you play very aggressive (and) if you believe in your heart you can do it. Because today was a very close match.”
Venus, Wimbledon’s five-time and defending champion, wasn’t tested on any level by Dinara Safina, routing the reigning world No. 1 and top seed 6-1, 6-0 in 51 minutes. The match was over as soon as it started, with the Russian painfully ill at ease on the grass that only accentuates Venus’ rare power and pace.
Venus won the first 10 points, faced a break point only once and committed just one unforced error in the match.
Still, she flung the verbal equivalent of a sister’s protective arm around Safina during her news conference afterward, which was peppered with questions about how the Russian could be deemed No. 1 when she had just been eviscerated on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
“She is so talented and has played so consistently in the last year,” Venus said of Safina, who has yet to win a major title. “I went out there and was able to stay focused. I have so much experience on this court, it helps a lot.”
Serena, however, presents an entirely different challenge, as Venus well knows, having split 20 career meetings with her sister, 10-10.
“There’s so much to face when you play her,” Venus said of Serena. “Even if she’s not playing her best, just that fight she has — you’re facing that.”
Wimbledon/Glance
A look at Wimbledon on Thursday:
Women’s semifinals: No. 2 Serena Williams beat No. 4 Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6; No. 3 Venus Williams beat No. 1 Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0.
Stat of the day: 20 — Number of points won by Safina; Venus Williams won 54.
Quote of the day: “I don’t necessarily want her to lose, but for sure I want me to win.” — Venus Williams, on facing younger sister Serena in a Wimbledon final for the fourth time
On the court today: No. 2 Roger Federer vs. No. 24 Tommy Haas and No. 3 Andy Murray vs. No. 6 Andy Roddick in the men’s semifinals.
Today’s TV: ESPN2, 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.; KUSA-9, noon to 5 p.m. The Associated Press
