Serena ends Venus's hopes in Doha

Eurosport - Wed, 28 Oct 21:23:00 2009

Serena Williams effectively eliminated older sister Venus from the WTA Championships with a 5-7 6-4 7-6(4) in an abysmal match characterised by errors.

Serena Williams of U.S hits a return to her sister Venus Williams during the WTA Tour Championships, REUTERS - 0

Defending champion Venus now has two losses to her name and would require a mathematic miracle to progress to the final four.

Serena, on the other hand, has two wins under her belt and remains on course to add a semi-final berth to the year-end world number ranking that she was handed by Dinara Safina's earlier withdrawal from the tournament.

"It's a great feeling (to be world number)," the 28-year-old said. "But Dinara is such a great player that she must be really hurt because she never gives up.

"It's a shame for the tournament because it would have been great if we had both got through to the final."

Both players started tentatively, perhaps surprised by the unexpectedly early start to their clash, with the serve in particular suffering.

Venus, slightly the calmer of the two players, broke in just the second game of the match with an inside out forehand winner across court.

Venus quickly gifted her younger sister the break back, slapping down three double faults in the one game but broke for a second time in the fourth game when Serena dumped a backhand into the net.

Serena broke back for a second time though when Venus sent a forehand drive volley long of the baseline before the two players went on to exchange solid service holds.

But it was only a temporary respite for Serena as Venus broke once again in the 12th game, sealing the set when Serena once again hit a forehand skidding into the net.

Venus, narrowly the better of the two players in the opening set, fell apart in the second, handing Serena a break in the opening game by slapping a forehand long of the baseline.

Serena further extended her lead in the seventh game of the set when Venus hit into the net and, despite being broken back in the very next game, levelled the match shortly after when Venus dragged a cross court forehand wide into the tramlines.

The third set was equally dire with the five out of the first six games going against serve.

But despite Venus trailing for much of the set, and even serving to stay in it at 5-3 down it was the older of the two sisters who first held a match point, battering a forehand return of serve across court in the 12th game.

Serena saved it with some ferocious hitting, sending Venus scampering around the baseline before going on to hold and force the decisive tie-break.

And eventually it was Serena who took control, racing out to a 4-2 lead at the change of ends before sealing it with an ace out wide on her first match point, although it was a cat on the court mid-way through the breaker that caused the crowd their most enjoyment of the night.

Watch the WTA Championships LIVE from Doha from 2pm on Thursday 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.

Pippa Davis / Eurosport

Comment 24 - 43 of 43

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  1. Next time eurosport dont write articles like this if­ you dont know what is going on.
    example:Serena ends­ venus hopes in doha. or venus need a mathematical­ miracle.. guesss what? venus did qualify for the semis.­ fire this author now

    From vk, on Fri 30 Oct 5:04PM

  2. Just heard a great place :___Tallloving CO M___ , we­ can find any types friends you want to meet, please­ have a try...

    From kylezhang23, on Thu 29 Oct 5:12PM

  3. WHY ARE WE STILL BRING RACE INTO­ SPORTS?????????
    CAN'T WE JUST LET THE SPORTMANSHIP­ AND TALENT DO THE TALKING INSTEAD????????
    IF YOU­ DON'T LIKE THE PEOPLE OF ANY COLOUR THEN DON'T­ BOTHER WATCHING.

    THUMBS UP TO ALL THE LOVERS OF THE­ GAME.THUMBS DOWN WITH ALL OF YOU SICKOS.

    From ck.ckay, on Thu 29 Oct 3:46PM

  4. Geo_ and Mashaa m indeed they must have been cursed by­ mother nature, can't understand why they are so­ bitter and twisted towards innocent professional tennis­ players.

    From sanchez.santos, on Thu 29 Oct 2:42PM

  5. ANYONE for tennis?...As I've said in free-online ­ verse, females should play TABLE tennis, which puts ­ far less stress on the racket/bat arm.

    From David Franks: Walkabouts Verse, on Thu 29 Oct 2:20PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Feel free to find sexy sport babes' pictures @­ Af­­­ roMi ng le @ c- o - m ... You will like­ it...........d

    From Serena, on Thu 29 Oct 2:00PM

  7. rafascrackingup aren't you better engaged in­ persuading radovan to face a proper trial now rather­ than dragging it out for years like slobodan did. the­ tactic won't work this time i assure you, ask the­ ss generals who tried that over sixty years ago. and­ when is your friend igore and his henchmen going to­ stop hiding ratko? surely if you must do heinous crimes­ you should have the dignity to face trial?

    From sanchez.santos, on Thu 29 Oct 1:05PM

  8. Some people are yet to choose a name, because­ "white" or "snow" @#$% sapiens­ don't exist - should be asign of unhealithiness if­ they exist. It is an illusive construction. They should­ contact their pigmentary gland to tell them whether to­ go a blond broke.

    From freeowd, on Thu 29 Oct 1:02PM

  9. Serena's Queen! Haters even watch her play!

    From Vic M, on Thu 29 Oct 12:48PM

  10. heh heh heh. I really have to laugh. There's one­ post from someone called "RA" @ #26 where it­ says Black this, Blackzilla, beasty whatever?? Come on­ child. You have half the name of a Black Deity from the­ days of Kemet(Egypt)Dynasty who's full name was­ AMON-RA. The word "Amen" in biblical­ Christian terms also came from the Deity AMON-RA &­ you have the nerve to be spouting the rubbish you do­ about being Black. Please grow up, change your name­ & educate yourself before you choose a name. At­ least talk about Tennis.

    From Kem-One, on Thu 29 Oct 11:43AM

  11. With all you stupid guys making stupid comments­ insulting Tennis women both the Williams sisters and­ the whites girls you do not belong in here. being a top­ athelic requires hard work. I know for sure, those guys­ insulting these women are lonely they don`t have a GIRL­ friends they`re FAT people hiding don`t have a Sociale­ life. i also know that most of them have a very very­ smore (P...S).

    From Geo_, on Thu 29 Oct 9:47AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Now the drugs are beginning to take effect on Safina,­ and there may be more confessions to be made. Please,­ rid tennis of addicts!

    From mimca50, on Thu 29 Oct 9:40AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I found Svetlana's muscles great enough to play­ with in the men's tennis. Has she also been checked­ on haemophrodity?

    From zillopor, on Thu 29 Oct 9:18AM

  14. I' ve never seen so boring match. They looked as if­ they were sleeping. It wasn't worth watching

    From yolla270, on Thu 29 Oct 8:41AM

  15. the real no 1 has claimed the title. Safina knew what­ was on the dinner table and chickened out. ­ Congratulations Serena. Venus won it last year. This is­ your turn to get this. No more challenges as you have­ defeated the toughest opponent Svetlana and Venus.­ Beating now Dementieva is icing on the cake. She is­ there for the taking and not the repeat of Clijster­ beating you both back to back. This is where you will­ show your tennis prowees and capture the years no 1­ ranking with the trophy.. 5th time world no 1.. This is­ a feat

    From Augustine A, on Thu 29 Oct 8:30AM

  16. Finally, ranking has been properly done. The right one­ takes her deserved place in world tennis. No matter­ what haters say, Serena is the best tennis players­ presently and very much deserves her ranking now and­ come to think of it, she did not get this position at a­ GS even, it is at a WTA event meaning that it is the­ best place she could ever get it. Let me quickly add­ that those events Safina have been winning are merely­ events that the sisters did not play but now that she­ has the sisters arround, she has melted like rubber on­ fire. too bad.

    From chima, on Thu 29 Oct 7:49AM

  17. Cool : robot are programme to suit the designer. Tong­ is human.. A bitter human being.

    From Bblee, on Thu 29 Oct 6:20AM

  18. Is Tong Jin K a robot? Sounds like one

    From cool, on Thu 29 Oct 6:12AM

  19. Why are there no grouses with the umpire or­ linespersons when the sister play each other? It only­ happens when they play someone else.

    I presume that in­ such a case they can't use their favourite word­ "RACISM". It's always a convenient and­ pathetic excuse everytime they lose. What an effective­ crutch!!

    From Tong Jin K, on Thu 29 Oct 5:06AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Black shwarzy, Hollywood blackzilla, beesty breasty Nr1

    From Ra, on Thu 29 Oct 2:07AM
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