WIMBLEDON, England — Williams vs. Williams won’t happen in this year’s Wimbledon final.
Kvitova vs. Pironkova, however, remains a possibility.
Wimbledon’s female final four will take the grandest stage in tennis today, and for this quartet, there’s no debating the headliner. Call the group Serena and the Other Semifinalists.
No. 1-ranked Serena Williams will play unseeded Petra Kvitova, and No. 21-seeded Vera Zvonareva will face unseeded Tsvetana Pironkova.
Say again?
“Every year there are so many new players and so many new faces,” Williams said. “I think it’s good because it keeps the sport exciting.”
This lineup’s a head-scratcher, though, and not just because five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams is missing. For the first time in three years, the final won’t be an all-Williams affair.
Also eliminated before the semifinals were Grand Slam champions Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.
Still in contention are four players with a combined 12 major championships and three Wimbledon titles.
All belong to Williams.
The No. 21-ranked Zvonareva, No. 62-ranked Kvitova and No. 82-ranked Pironkova were a combined 12-13 lifetime at the All England Club before this year. None has ever reached a Grand Slam final, and now two of them might make it.
So what’s going on here?
“You don’t get to a quarter or a semifinal by luck, so they can obviously hit the ball hard,” Clijsters said.
Rarely has women’s tennis been more wide open. Still, it would seem this year’s Wimbledon title is Serena’s to lose.
“No, it’s not mine to lose,” she said. “It’s mine to win if I can get it. There are three other people that are vying to win it.”
At a glance
Today’s matches: Women’s semifinals — No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Petra Kvitova, No. 21 Vera Zvonareva vs. Tsvetana Pironkova
Friday’s matches: Men’s semifinals — No. 2 Rafael Nadal vs. No. 4 Andy Murray, No. 3 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 12 Tomas Berdych
Today’s TV: KUSA-9 noon to 5 p.m.; ESPN2 5-10 a.m. (today and Friday).
