Venus to meet Serena in final

Reuters - Sat, 31 Oct 16:17:00 2009

Holder Venus Williams completed her circuitous route to the WTA Championships final, beating Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 5-7 6-3 6-4 to set up yet another showdown with sister Serena.

Venus Williams of the US hits a return to Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia during the WTA Tour Championships, REUTERS - 0

Serena, who will end the year as world number one for the first time since 2002, got past Caroline Wozniacki after the Dane pulled out with a stomach injury when trailing 6-4 0-1.

"I wasn't playing great. I think it's hard to play well against a player who's injured and is so nice," Serena said. "I'm going to have to really improve my game against Venus if I want to win."

The Williams sisters have already met across the net in the Qatari capital this week, Serena winning a three-set scrap in their Maroon Group clash which was their 22nd career duel.

There will be no Williams clean sweep on Sunday though after they lost 2-6 6-4 10-8 in the doubles semi-final to Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

The Spanish duo will face world number one pairing Cara Black of Zimbabwe and American Liezel Huber on Sunday.

Venus seemed down and out after defeat by her younger sister followed an opening group loss against Elena Dementieva.

After beating Svetlana Kuznetsova, though, some complicated maths edged her through to the last four by virtue of sets won. It was all a bit unconvincing again on Saturday as the seven times grand slam champion sprayed errors around the court and also needed treatment on her knee several times.

Gradually she turned things in her favour after Jankovic committed the cardinal sin of failing to finish off a Williams sister when the chance presented itself.

Venus, 29, is the first player to reach the final after losing two matches in the round robin stage since Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo in 2003.

"In the first set I couldn't feel the ball and couldn't seem to get a ball in," said Venus.

"But this is my last tournament of the year so I was giving 1,000 percent," added the American world number seven who has played four three-set matches at the Khalifa Tennis Centre totalling nearly eight hours.

"It's wonderful to be playing Serena in the final. I'm so excited. It's the way I wanted to end the year."

Jankovic, who also enjoyed good fortune to qualify for the last four when Dinara Safina retired after two games of their White Group clash on Wednesday, broke serve at 5-5 in the first set and then held her own to go ahead.

Venus appeared to be struggling more in the stifling humidity and served two double faults at 2-2 in the second to trail 0-40 only for Jankovic to let her opponent off the hook with some wasteful errors.

The Serb then saved two break points in the next game but Venus seized her chance when a third opportunity arose. Jankovic broke serve early in the deciding set but surrendered her own delivery three times in a row and, although she did hang on at 3-5, Venus clinched victory in the next game with a forehand that dropped off the net tape.

"It's disappointing. I had so many chances. I had a lot of break points in the second set but then I let everything slip away," said Jankovic who has dropped to number eight in the rankings after being number one in January.

"That was my last match of the season."

Wozniacki, too, looks in need of a rest. The world number four, who suffered agonising cramps during her group match win over Vera Zvonareva on Thursday, led 2-0 against Serena but then fell away.

"I had a great year. I did all I could. I used all my strength but today I just didn't have any more left," said the 19-year-old US Open runner-up.

"What I've learned is I'm a huge fighter."

Watch the WTA Championships final LIVE from Doha from 3pm on Sunday on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe.

Reuters

Comment 33 - 52 of 52

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. I knew Serena didn't play well in the first set­ against Wozniacki...she was kinda feeling sorry for her­ a lil, now I know she's confirmed it , it makes­ sense! Love u Serena, u r really a sweetheart!

    From Vic M, on Sun 1 Nov 12:43PM

  2. ANYONE for tennis?...As I've suggested in ­ free-online verse (web-search my name), females should ­ play TABLE tennis, which puts far less stress on the ­ racket/bat arm.

    From David Franks: Walkabouts Verse, on Sun 1 Nov 11:06AM

  3. well done serena and venus i love you

    From shaws64, on Sun 1 Nov 10:42AM

  4. No - it was NOT an all Williams final last year , you­ can tell some of the posters on here aren't real­ tennis fans :X

    From opera.aria, on Sun 1 Nov 10:42AM

  5. well done serena and venus i love you

    From shaws64, on Sun 1 Nov 10:39AM

  6. Haters are losers in this site coz i think we all love­ the game not the players.

    From Mashaa m, on Sun 1 Nov 10:15AM

  7. Don blame the sister for going to Finals again. This­ the battle of top 8. Best women wins.

    From Bblee, on Sun 1 Nov 9:09AM

  8. Congratulations to all the players who have competed so­ far in Doha. I live in this dump (er sorry, city) so I­ know how crushing the heat and humidity can be. One­ minute you feel fine then you take a drink of water and­ you are full of cramps. I struggle to play golf in this­ weather never mind running around like a lunatic to hit­ a ball. It may not have been the greatest tennis but it­ has worked out as the survival of the fittest. I just­ hope the sisters can survive in one piece tonight. It­ may not be the greatest tennis but they are two superb­ athletes and like them or not they are compulsive­ viewing to fans and none fans alike. Well done girls­ make it your dream final.

    From Menace, on Sun 1 Nov 9:06AM

  9. To borisncfc100 and Zuberman

    Why don't you two­ guys go on the Animal Planet yourselves ?
    It seems­ it's the place where you and those like you belong!­ A place full of animals, just like you!

    From David, on Sun 1 Nov 8:47AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    christ what a surprise. I'm gonna go watch­ 'Zulu' and 'planet of the apes'­ instead.

    From borisncfc100, on Sun 1 Nov 8:19AM

  11. Venus is injured herself,Sveta and Dementieva lost­ because they could not strategize.Its all about tactics­ in RR.Jankovic didnt deserve to win she was lucky­ Safina got injured.
    GOOD JOB WILLIAMSOVAS!!111

    From susan, on Sat 31 Oct 11:19PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Come on already. doesn't any1 think that venus vs­ serena is getting a bit boring already?????How about­ Wozniacki vs Jankovic. Now that would be a GOOD final.­ I no that they played already, but Caroline wasn't­ at her best. And i totally agree with cameronw. Who­ wants to watch a POWER GAME in every big final,­ KEM-ONE????

    From ballinalackenforever, on Sat 31 Oct 11:06PM

  13. Ok Kem-One
    point taken - i apologise for being so­ vague!

    From cameron w, on Sat 31 Oct 10:24PM

  14. cameronw?? What on earth are YOU talking about?? My ID­ revoked?? When did that happen please??? Are YOU OK­ cameronw?? NO. I dont own this forum, How could i­ possibly own it??? cameronw?? This is all i'm­ asking you to do for me please & that is to SAY­ WHAT YOU MEAN. As i am a man, NOT a bully, i apologise­ for asking you to talk straight like a man then you­ will be understood like one & NOT a racist.­ Isn't that a good thing??? Can you also understand­ that everyone's different with regards to tennis­ styles & a technical game can be just as boring as­ a power game? Me?? I like ALL styles. Especially­ Serena's power style with her game face on.­ Awesome. Some you win some you lose

    From Kem-One, on Sat 31 Oct 10:08PM

  15. Venus is my best!! She's wonderful for me....

    From Logan, on Sat 31 Oct 10:08PM

  16. Well yolla270. I'm happy to know thats what­ stimulates YOU when YOU watch a game of tennis but­ there are also others players who's style who i­ dont like BUT i dont mind. Simply because EVERY player­ is different & styles make a match. As for the­ millions of viewers, have they ALL complained to YOU???­ Do YOU know how much people are tuned in when shes on­ television?? This is ONLY a website forum. Not even 50­ posts have been sent in. So what does that really­ say???

    From Kem-One, on Sat 31 Oct 9:51PM

  17. and where is my apology!

    From cameron w, on Sat 31 Oct 9:44PM

  18. I will report you to the same people who have already­ revoked your ID before; tell me, was that for bullying­ also!
    You seem to think you own these forums!
    Erm, you­ do not!

    From cameron w, on Sat 31 Oct 9:41PM

  19. cameronw?? Are you angry cameronw?? bad result for­ tennis this. good result for tennis this. Whats that­ all about?? If every & anyone KNEW what you meant­ then jude wouldn't have to ASK YOU WHAT YOU meant­ by what you said. If you simply said "I miss the­ days of touch tennis" (whatever that was) then­ everyone would've understood WHAT YOU meant. Say­ sorry to who??? YOU??? are you mad?? Whether YOU are­ racist or not cameronw doesn't BOTHER me in the­ slightest but your way of wording WILL make YOU stand­ out as one. I just dont get how people like YOU can­ come on a page where there are fans of these players,­ insult their style & not expect no one to respond.­ report me?? To WHO?? SO19???

    From Kem-One, on Sat 31 Oct 9:32PM

  20. Well done Venus! Venus beats herself really, she was­ missing to begin with even after setting up some­ winning shots, but hey I'm so happy it's Serena­ and Venus in the finals at the end of the year, whoop­ whoop!!

    From victorkewal007, on Sat 31 Oct 9:29PM
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account