Wimbledon - Serena into final after epic
Eurosport - Thu, 02 Jul 22:01:00 2009
Serena Williams recovered from match point down to beat Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva 6-7 7-5 8-6 in a nail-biting semi-final at Wimbledon.
The match lurched in fortunes continuously on the way to becoming the longest women's semi-final in the Open era at two hours and 49 minutes.
Williams's victory set up a fourth all-Williams final at the All England Club, after Serena's sister Venus thrashed world number one Dinara Safina 6-1 6-0 in the other semi-final.
After a low-key women's tournament to-date, the thrilling clash was played in energy-sapping conditions on Centre Court, with temperatures soaring to 34 degrees.
The opening two games saw both serves broken with neither player able to settle or find sufficient rhythm, but from then on the contest was of the highest quality.
Dementieva won the first set, having seized control of the tie break to win it 7-4 after 12 cagey games, with both players battling hard to gain the ascendency.
Williams hit back to take the second set, an incredibly tense affair in which two breaks of serve were exchanged before the crucial advantage was taken by the American in the 11th game.
Under intense pressure the twice Wimbledon champion closed out the set to level the match after Dementieva had squandered numerous opportunities to hit back.
The Russian edged closer to victory with a crucial break of serve in the fourth game of the deciding set, but she then imploded under the scrutiny of her opponent's advances, and Williams broke straight back in the following game.
Williams held her nerve impressively with a crisp volley to save a match point at 5-4 down, and the American battled her way through a gutsy service hold.
The final set was finely poised throughout, and it took until the 13th game for Williams to finally make the crucial breakthrough.
Having capitulated on her serve, Dementieva had nothing left to give as Williams stepped in to close the match out.
The American held her composure superbly in the final game with a controlled service hold, which prompted a shriek of delight from her at its conclusion.
Given Venus's serene progress in her semi-final, conceding just one game, the onus will be on Serena to recover her energy for Saturday's showpiece match.
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Comment 203 - 222 of 222
I don't know how Serena pulled this off, but somehow she did! I don't think she will beat Venus in her house!
It must require more skill to hit the ball with power and still get it in the court, than it is to just place it within the court with less power behind it. The object of a competition is to win it, legally, and the winner is the better player on the day. Some of the posts here are confused, just because people posting them do not want to concede that the better player won.
ferrrr talks about the theory of evoultion and I doubt someone who makes such simple minded comments is educated enough to know much about Darwins theory, and I bet your pig of a mother is much worse than the Williams mother in terms of looking like an animal you TW*T.
Dear Mr. Ferrr,
How can you speak in such a nasty, insulting way of people that have nothing in common with you? Do you think that your mother and father better monkeys? How then they did not succeed in breeding a successful offspring but such an angry beast? The monkeys you referred to, meaning Venus and Serena are applauded and loved by millions, while you stay unknown, even ashamed of yourself. Your reaction to their success is a proof of the bad state and nasty education in your family. But as you will find out later, you won’t get a single word from these that you are insulting, instead million others like me will tell you that you are from a rotten family
Racist just go to hell and fell the pain that is good whether you will like or not it has happen
The better player won.
Dementieva had 7 double faults while Serena had 3 or less. Serena had more aces and she came to the net more and took more chances. When your a champion you look a challenge in the eye and you don't blink. Dementieva blinked while Serena won, and thats why she'll be in center court on Saturday and not at home nursing a bruise ego.
If you want to unmask the sicko called SAMM.he lives in a bedseat in bromley surrounded by old newspapers and some sick magazines, the fact is that he is not interested in tennis at all but interested in stalking people, common samm tells us your hobbies shizo?
...and the winner by splt decision, SERENA WILLIAMS! If the outcome of this match was determined by a 3 panel judge then i would have said that Elena Dementieva was robbed. Both Serena and Elena displayed impeccable skill of tennis; but i have to say that Elena was slightly better while Serena was just the TERMINATOR of the match....she refuse to go away. That mind frame gave her the edge over Elena that did everything humanly possible to topple her opponent. Elena's serve[usually her weakness] became her ultimate weapon along with her groundstrokes. This semi finals is one for the ages. In my eyes none of the players left the tennis court a loser.
How can a Williams sisters final be boring?
They are THE greatest tennis players of there generation. Honestly can you say you know for sure who's gonna win?
Besides don't hate the Williams sisters for winning because thats what they do best. All these other girls bring nothing to tennis.
Anything less than a Williams in a final is boring.
BE PATIENT SAMM I WILL BE BACK FOR YOU AFTER FEDERER'S MATCH WAIT FOR ME I SEE YOU HAVE CLOSED FROM YOUR ZOO KINDERGADING CLASS WHAT WHERE YOU TAUGHT TODAY? LET ME SEE HOW TO SUCK THE ANAL OF A MONKEY I GUESS, JUST WAIT FOR ME I AM COMING FOR YOU
BE PATIENT SAMM I WILL BE BACK FOR YOU AFTER FEDERER'S MATCH WAIT FOR ME I SEE YOU HAVE CLOSED FROM YOUR KINDERGADING CLASS, JUST WAIT FOR ME I AM COMING FOR YOU
BE PATIENT SAMM I WILL BE BACK FOR YOU AFTER FEDERER'S MATCH WAIT FOR ME I SEE YOU HAVE CLOSED FROM YOUR KINDERGADING CLASS, JUST WAIT FOR ME I AM COMING FOR YOU
Good match the way she cane back to win was great
And incredible match it was, that's sure ! I think Williams really deserved that in for once
Saw into the second set of this match, but had to be somewhere else so I missed the rest. Glad she's through.
I say forget those haters, they will be still hating while the Williams sisters are racking up Grand Slams and millions! Serena and Venus do their own thing out there! I love the fact that they don't care what haters say or write about them. They know what they have to do on this Planet, do u?
Dementieva played better but her shots were to predictable and lacked variety Serena read them like a book.
Yes George you are right with your view of yesterday game. Dementieva played well but she didn't win and Serena didn't tie her hands at all and she wasn't unlucky either. So what would say about that. If you want my view;;; the best player won the game.
Good luck to both of you, girls. Go there and enjoy yourselves, you deserve it. As for the rest, try your luck next year.
Dementieva played better but serena was a fighter, not the best player just with a big serve that was all.
I personaly dont like serena's way of play she not steffy graf or justin h. they were class and talent.
the final btw W. sisters will be again boring.
come on Andy and Fed to the final!!
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