TENNIS Live

Wimbledon - Semi-finals - Women

Nationality Player Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5
United StatesV Williams67---
Russian FederationE Dementieva16---

Elena Dementieva

Nationality RUS
Date of Birth 15/10/1981
Height 1.79 m
Weight 64 kg
WTA Ranking 8
Player Info Right-handed; Two-handed backhand

Venus Williams

Nationality USA
Date of Birth 17/01/1980
Height 1.85 m
Weight 72.5 kg
WTA Ranking 6
Player Info Right-handed; Two-handed backhand
 

Live Comments

  1. 7-6 - GAME, SET, AND MATCH VENUS WILLIAMS: The American is back in the final of Wimbledon for a seventh time after wrapping up the 6-1 7-6 (3) victory on her first MATCH POINT when fifth seed Elena Dementieva fires the yet another error into the net. Up next for Williams either Chinese sensation Jie Zheng or a third Wimbledon final match-up with her baby sister Serena. Stay tuned for that match.

  2. TB6-3 - Yes she can. After the lengthy baseline rally, the Russian sends the unforced forehand error into the net and lets out one of the lengthiest, highest pitched shrieks of the entire tournament that causes people in the office to wonder aloud, "was that the Russian?" Another unforced error hands the American TRIPLE MATCH POINT.

  3. TB4-3 - Neither women can hold a service point apparently, as Dementieva sends the forehand error just wide to hand her rival another mini-break lead! Can Venus break the spell?

  4. TB3-3 - Level at the change of ends. Dementieva sends an ugly, ugly unforced forehand error into the net.

  5. TB2-3 - And Venus replies with her third double and then an unforced error to hand her rival the mini-break lead!!

  6. TB2-1 - Dementieva double faults to hand Venus the mini-break advantage.

  7. 6-6 - A great service winner into the body by Dementieva gets her to 40-15 and the fifth seed wraps up the hold with a lovely forehand winner down the line. And we're headed for the breaker! The Russian has actually won two of the three tie-breaks these two women have played against each other.

  8. 15-30 - Both women show off some good volleying skills. Dementieva leads on serve.

  9. 6-5 - Maybe not with Venus serving like that. The holder rushes ahead 40-0 and wraps up the LOVE-Service game after the lucky let cord.

  10. 5-5 - Venus saves one GAME POINT, but Dementieva holds to 30 to keep this match alive. You get the sense that she's just starting to realize that there is still a chance she could take this set and eventually even the match.

  11. 15-30 - Dementieva bosses a point from the baseline completely to take the 15-0 lead. The wind begins to pick up, harming both women as Dementieva hits a double fault and Venus shanks a forehand horribly.

  12. 5-4 - Venus rushes ahead 40-0 and then closes out the easy hold to 15 with the second serve winner out wide. Dementieva collapses to the ground after that attempted return, and the Russian will now have to serve to stay in the tournament.

  13. 4-4 - Another very good hold to 15 for Dementieva, who appears to have turned her game right around. This will likely be a case of too little, too late, however.

  14. 4-3 - An easy forehand pass down the line after a 15-stroke rally gets Venus to 30-0. Venus attacks the net brilliantly, and confirms the hold to 15 with a lunging backhand volley winner.

  15. 3-3 - A much improved service hold from Elena Dementieva keeps this set and match slightly alive.

  16. 3-2 - Dementieva had a real chance there, but instead hits a horrid forehand error to allow Venus to hold. She shrieks in horror, while spinning around, before again showing off that bright, big smile. We told you she was a lovely girl, even when she's losing. Still on serve in the second set.

  17. 40-40 - Venus hits her first double fault to gift Dementieva a BREAK POINT, but saves with the big service winner.

  18. 2-2 - And after a great forehand pass, Dementieva holds serve for only the second time in the match. The Russian, again starting to show some resiliency.

  19. 40-40 - Silly. Very silly. Dementieva hits a pathetic drop shot to hand Venus the easy backhand winner up the line. Williams goes onto earn her own DOUBLE BREAK POINT. And Dementieva saves them both after a great baseline rally and a service winner out wide. DEUCE.

  20. 2-1 - Venus grins widely after sending an easy forehand at the net into said net. She can afford to smile after mistakes like that with the lead she has. Still, she should probably not take this set for granted as another error hands Dementieva a DOUBLE BREAK POINT chance.... Venus saves the first with an ace down the T (125mph). Dementieva BREAKS BACK on the second though!! She gets incredibly lucky on the second BP as a forehand hits the top of the tape, and the let cord just goes her way. A customary apology is accompanied by a relieved smile. Back on serve in set two. Venus still in control.

  21. 2-0 - Venus builds another 30-0 lead on her rival's serve thanks to some unforced errors. Dementieva then hits another error to gift her rival a pair of BREAK POINTS and Venus confirms on her second chance with a huge forehand into the corner. She has won four games in a row for the second time this match and leads a set and a break. Hopefully the four-time champion will finally be tested in the final.....

  22. 1-0 - Venus hits her third ace of the match at 120mph plus before rushing ahead 40-0. She ultimately holds to 30 with a brutal service winner into the body.

  23. 6-1 - A Dementieva forehand error gives the American TRIPLE SET POINT, and Venus closes it out on her first chance with a gorgeous backhand return of a meek second serve that sets up a ruthless leaping overhead/forehand smash at the net. She takes the first set 6-1 with a BREAK to LOVE. It's very difficult to imagine Dementieva coming back from this to even take a set.

  24. 30-0 - Venus easily reaches a poor drop shot to go up 30-0 and move within two points of taking the first set.

  25. 5-1 - Dementieva is starting to show a bit of fight, battling through a baseline rally until Venus sends the backhand error wide to drop to 30-30. Williams, looking for her chance to go to the net, just waits for the Dementieva error instead, holding to 30. The Russian will serve to stay in the opening set.

  26. 4-1 - And finally the Russian is on the scoreboard, holding to DEUCE after saving repeated BREAK POINTS. She still has an enormous mountain to climb.

  27. 40-40 - Venus saves another GAME POINT and then books another BREAK POINT with a ruthless forehand winner down the line. And again the Russian saves the BP with a service winner down the T. DEUCE YET AGAIN.....

  28. 40-40 - Despite a mediocre volley, Venus books another BREAK POINT as Dementieva shanks the pass attempt horribly. Dementieva saves again to get back to DEUCE.

  29. 40-40 - Dementieva double faults for the first time on GAME POINT. The serve has always been the most inconsistent part of the Russian's game. Back to DEUCE.

  30. 40-40 - Dementieva dumps a meek slice backhand effort right into the net to gift her rival another chance to BREAK. Venus sends the backhand long to allow the Russian back to DEUCE though.

  31. 4-0 - Venus continues to boss on serve now, setting up another easy volley winner at the net. She ultimately holds to 30. Is it too early to call this match?

  32. 3-0 - Venus Williams is clearly controlling points from the baseline now, she sets up an easy forehand winner at the net and whips it across court into the DEUCE corner to create a pair of BREAK POINTS. Dementieva saves the first with a service winner, but slaps the backhand error into the net on the second. The American is already up a double break and appears to be cruising towards the last four despite this being her first highly ranked opponent.

  33. 2-0 - Williams ultimately holds with a bruising cross-court winner, and that could already prove to be a very important game.

  34. 40-40 - A fourth BREAK POINT saved after a backhand error from the Russian, who was overly tight there. We have to say that Dementieva, while much taller than this blogger, is an absolute sweetheart in person - even gracious after a defeat.

  35. 40-40 - Venus saves another BREAK POINT with a fine net approach for the angled smash winner. Back to DEUCE.

  36. 40-40 - Dementieva, who reached the quarter-finals at the French Open before dropping a set and a 5-2 lead to eventual runner-up Dinara Safina, drills a gorgeous forehand winner down the line to strike first on Venus's serve before going up 30-0. The wind is clearly affecting the American's game, as she serves and forehand smashes long to gift away a DOUBLE BREAK POINT. She saves the first with an ACE down the T and the second after the unforced forehand error from Dementieva. The Russian will be rueing that missed chance. DEUCE.

  37. 1-0 - A very nervy start for Elena Dementieva, as the American four-time rushes ahead 40-0 due to a series of unforced errors from the fifth seed, and then breaks to 15 with a big forehand into the corner. A very bad omen for the Russian and a very good one for the American.

  38. 0-0 - UNDERWAY!! The Russian to serve first.

  39. ----- - Dementieva's path to the final was far more difficult: Dementieva beat Maria Elena Camerin 6-3 6-7 6-3 in her opener, the fifth seed needed three sets again to beat Timea Bacsinszky 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the second round, she then overcame Argentine Gisela Dulko 7-6 7-5 in the third, 24th seeded Israeli Sahar Peer 6-2 6-1 in the last 16, and 21st seeded compatriot Nadia Petrova 6-1 6-7 6-3 in the quarter-finals. This is Dementieva's first Wimbeldon semi-final, though she has reached two Grand Slam finals before at the French Open and US Open in 2004.

  40. 13:02 - Good news, despite some downpours in Southwest London earlier today, which soaked this blogger on his way into work for a good 23 seconds, the rain has passed and the sun is shining for now. Temperatures are 22 degrees Celsius, though rain is expected to return later this afternoon.

  41. ----- - You will note that Venus's highest ranked opponent in her first five matches was world number 42 Kleybanova, and the only other challenger in the top 60 was the number 60 Tanasugarn.

  42. ----- - The seventh seeded Williams has been in an absolutely imposing mood on her return to the semi-finals, having yet to drop a set the entire tournament. In the first round Venus beat British hopeful Naomi Cavaday 7-6 6-1 after a hard-fought first set, and then dumped out another British hopeful Anne Keothavong 7-5 6-2 in round two. She earned an equally easy 6-1 7-5 victory over Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez to reach the last 16, before beating Russia's Alisa Kleybanova 6-3 6-4 to make the quarter-finals. Finally, in the last eight she eased past Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3 6-4.

  43. ----- - Welcome to LIVE text comments and scoring of the Wimbledon semi-finals as an all-Williams sisters final still looks on the cards. But first, defending champion Venus has to get past Russian fifth seed Elena Dementieva in today's opening semi-final! Full coverage starts from 13:00 BST!

WTA Race 2008

Points
1 Jelena Jankovic 4355 stay
2 Serena Williams 3681 stay
3 Dinara Safina 3628 stay
4 Elena Dementieva 3040 stay
5 Ana Ivanovic 2952 stay
6 Maria Sharapova 2515 stay
7 Svetlana Kuznetsova 2513 stay
8 Venus Williams 2246 stay
9 Vera Zvonareva 2135 stay
10 Agnieszka Radwanska 2096 stay

Full Table »