Serena Williams claimed she would be prepared to match the men by playing five-set matches after making a perfect run through to the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Serena Williams claimed she would be prepared to match the men by playing five-set matches after making a perfect run through to the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The two-time champion spent a little over an hour on court yesterday, cruising to a 6-2, 6-3 win over teenager Victoria Azarenka on Centre Court to set up a last-four meeting with Elena Dementieva.
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Serena Williams returns to Victoria Azarenka during their quarter-finals at Wimbledon yesterday. pic/AFP |
Women players now receive equal prize money in the Grand Slams despite still playing best-of-three-set matches but Serena insists she is ready to make the step up.
"I'm ready for five-set matches," she said. "On grass it would be fine. I can definitely play five sets."
Andy Murray's fourth-round tie with Stanislas Wawrinka lasted longer than three of yesterday's women's quarter-finals combined, but Serena still believes the fans are getting value for money.
"I definitely think so," she said. "You get to see these female players playing their best tennis not losing a set.
I think that's tremendous.
"It's one, two, three and four in the semis so I think the seeding is right. Those top players are really playing their top game so (the fans are) definitely getting your money's worth."
All-Williams final? Wimbledon braced itself for a fourth all-Williams singles final yesterday after elder sister Venus too eased to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
The sisters have featured in seven of the last eight finals and there were few signs yesterday that the family monopoly is about to be broken.
Venus (29) who will be in her eighth Wimbledon semi-final in 10 years, next tackles Dinara Safina, the World No 1 and top seed, who will be playing in her first.
"If it is an all-Williams final that would be fantastic but we still have great players to meet and will have to bring our best tennis to the court," said Venus.
Dementieva, like Safina still without a Grand Slam title, reached her second successive Wimbledon semi-final with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win over London-based Italian Francesca Schiavone.
Dementieva has not dropped a set so far, losing just 20 games.
"I wish I had had a little more fight so far, but it's good to win my matches in straight sets," said Dementieva, the Olympic gold medallist.
