LONDON, July 3: Venus Williams moved to within one match of a fifth Wimbledon singles title after beating Russia’s Elena Dementieva in straight sets in the semi-finals on Thursday. The defending champion won 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to set up a potential final date with her sister Serena, who faced Chinese wildcard Zheng Jie in the second semi-final at the All England Club.

Having steamrollered her opponent in the opening set, the elder of the Williams sisters was given a tough workout in what was a slugfest second, but she always looked to have a little in reserve against an opponent making her first appearance in Wimbledon’s last four.

“She is a similar player to me with a lot of power so I knew I’d have to do what we both do a little better,” Venus said. “It was important I managed to get ahead in the tiebreak and not let it go.”

Venus further said she would relish the prospect of a rematch with Serena, to whom she lost in the Wimbledon finals of 2002 and 2003.

“I am looking forward to that final and I am dying for S. Williams to get through. This is my seventh final and I’m looking forward to playing her for a third time in the final so I will be rooting for her.”

Venus brushed aside suggestions that matches between the sisters are rarely classics because of a perceived lack of competitive edge, insisting her close relationship with Serena in no way impinged on her desire to win another title here.

“Our goal is getting to the final and from there it is every Williams for themselves,” she said. Dementieva admitted she had struggled to cope with the quality of Williams’s tennis in the opening set.

“She started really well, she was dominating and putting a lot of pressure on my serve,” said the Russian. “She likes to hit hard, she’s got a good serve and it is an excellent surface for her. But she does get tight at times, so I was just trying to make her play and keep the ball in play and that’s what happened. It was a completely different game in the second set.”

For a player who frequently struggles with the tennis equivalent of the yips, Dementieva’s decision to serve first after winning the toss was unexpected.

As it turned out, it was also unwise. Inside a minute, the Russian found herself 0-40 down, Williams claimed the break at the second attempt and that set the tone for a one-sided first set.

Dementieva, the fifth seed, gave a better account of herself in the second, rallying from 2-0 down and then matching her opponent blow for blow until the tiebreak, in which Williams was always in control, finally bringing proceedings to a halt after one hour and 41 minutes on Centre Court.—AFP