6-7 - Williams breaks! The American forces the game to 15-30 with a powerful forehand down the line, and a backhand from Dementieva drifts wide to present her with two break points. The first is squandered by an overhit backhand from Williams, but she picks out a fine backhand pass to clinch the crucial break! Can she now serve out for the match?

6-5 - The pressure falls heavily on Dementieva after she finds the net on the opening point of the game, but she recovers well to 30-15. The Russian then closes out the game from 40-30 and demonstrates impressive resilience and composure.

5-4 - Dementieva holds her composure very impressively to regain her lead at 5-4, and now Williams must serve to stay in the match. The Russian did all that could have been expected, finding first serves and not making too many unforced errors.

4-3 - Dementieva wins a superb rally in the opening point of her service game, and Williams goes long with a backhand as she moves to 30-0. A wild missed forehand from the American gives the Russian a crucial hold.

3-2 - Williams breaks straight back! The American forces two break points with Dementieva folding under pressure, and the Russian then implodes after saving the first, planting a tame forehand into the net!

2-1 - Dementieva moves swiftly to 30-0 with two good first serves, before Williams wins an extended rally. The Russian serves her seventh double fault in allowing her opponent to level at 30-30, but closes out the game with Williams slicing a backhand long.

1-0 - A superb backhand pass from Dementieva cross court gives her 40-30 in the opening game of the third set, and she closes it out with another, near identical shot in the following point. Williams had done well to level at 30-30 with a powerful forehand, but she did not have quite enough to prevent the Russian making a good start.

5-7 - Williams takes the second set! A clean backhand winner from Dementieva levels at 15-15. The Russian then seizes control winning the next two points with solid groundstrokes to force break points at 15-40. Williams saves the first with an ace, and Dementieva finds the net to take the game to deuce. The American saves another break point after deuce with a second ace, and Dementieva then misses a simple backhand to break back. Williams holds at last with a huge shriek of self approval, and takes the second set!

5-5 - Williams holds her serve to love with consummate ease, and that was a very clinical game of power tennis from the American. Dementieva was not afforded a glimmer of an opportunity throughout, and the number two seed finishes with a flourish, crashing an ace down the T.

4-4 - Dementieva keeps Williams firmly in check, pegging her back to 30-30. With the game in the balance, the American buckles, serving a double fault to hand her opponent a break point. Dementieva then has an aberration, opting to leave a forehand winner from Williams which lands on the line. A crisp volley wins an epic rally for the number two seed, and a huge first serve closes it out - what drama!

4-3 - An emphatic backhand pass down the line from Williams gives her 0-30 on the Russian's serve, but a sloppy forehand into the net lets her back into the game. A fine serve outwide forces another error, but an erratic forehand gives Williams another break point. A superb, battling point from Dementieva saves it, followed by a huge second-serve ace! Williams goes long in the next point, and that was a hugely impressive hold from the Russian.

2-3 - Dementieva is hanging on in this second set, holding serve to love and looking very comfortable. Two unforced errors from Williams assist the Russian on the way, and she stays with her opponent to apply more pressure.

1-2 - Dementieva breezes her way to 30-0, before Williams crushes a forehand winner down the line to reduce the deficit. She then attempts the same shot again, but it goes narrowly wide, and the Russian closes the game out to establish herself in the second set.

0-1 - Williams breaks! Dementieva moves swiftly to 30-15 with a fine backhand down the line to beat the desperate stretch of her opponent. A stunning forehand cross-court winner from Williams gives her a break point at 30-40, and a forehand wide from the Russian gives Williams the perfect start with a break.

- - Williams shows her dismay at having missed the final return in that tie break to squander the first set. Click here to view a photo of her reaction to it

TB6-4 - Dementieva extends her lead to 6-3 with a calculated rally, playing percentage tennis and refusing to make an unforced error, with Williams buckling first. The Russian errs slightly with a double fault on set point. Can she hold her nerve?

TB3-3 - Dementieva plants a forehand into the net to enable Williams to level at 2-2, and a flashing forehand gives the American 3-3. This tie break is as tight as the rest of the set.

6-6 - An exquisite forehand winner down the line from Dementieva gives her 30-0, and she re-establishes her advantage with an ace down the T. The Russian looks utterly dominant, with Williams going long with a forehand, and now we have a tie-break! Who is your favourite to win this?

5-5 - A stunning backhand lob from Williams levels the game at 15-15, but a wild forehand gives Dementieva the advantage, which she does not relinquish. The Russian closes out the game with a forceful backhand down the line, and this first set is intriguingly poised.

4-4 - Dementieva lets out a shriek of disgust as she finds the net with a forehand to open the game unconvincingly, and Williams pounces to fire a forehand down the line and set up three break points. The Russian shows great resolve in clawing her way back to deuce with a fierce forehand cross court after two first serves, and an error from Williams gives her the hold. Superb resilience from Dementieva.

3-3 - A loose forehand into the net from Dementieva allows Williams to establish herself in the game, but a forehand winner at the net gives her 30-15. It is an impressive hold from the Russian, who ends with a clinical forehand cross court to close it out. /// To view a rather dubious looking Wimbledon-themed hat, click here

2-2 - Dementieva begins with a fierce serve down the line and looks increasingly comfortable on her forehand side, drilling two crisp groundstrokes to lead 40-15. An unforced error from Williams then gives the Russian the service hold to level at 2-2.

1-1 - Williams breaks straight back! Dementieva, serving into the sun, loses the opening two points on her serve, firing a forehand long after Williams had won the first with a powerful backhand. An unforced error from the American lets Dementieva back in, and an ace outwide levels at 30-30. A stunning backhand winner down the line gives the second seed a break point, and a wild forehand squanders her early advantage.

0-0 - Serera Williams wins the toss and, without hesitation, elects to serve first in the glorious sunshine on Centre Court.

- - Russia's Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina have been tasked with halting Venus and Serena's inexorable cruise towards a fourth all-Williams final. Click here to read about why it's such a hard task

- - Her Russian opponent reached this stage in the competition last year, but has not gone any further than this point. Click here to view the fourth seed's profile

- - It is another sweltering day at Wimbledon, with temperatures reaching 32 degrees on a hot, dry afternoon in SW19.