register to 888sport
888sport time:

Featured Sport News

Joy of six for Venus?

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 04/07/2009

Venus Williams goes in search of her sixth Wimbledon crown when she plays her sister Serena in Saturday's final on Centre Court.

The two women had contrasting semi-finals successes with reigning champion Venus crushing the hapless Russian and world number one Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-1 to emphasise her position as the online betting favourite to clinch her third successive title.

Earlier Serena had been pushed hard by another Russian, Elena Dementieva, who actually had a match point against the powerful American before eventually succumbing 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 8-6 in two hours and 48 minutes.

Serena certainly looks fitter than of late and showed against Dementieva that she has the determination to add to her two Wimbledon successes - she beat Venus in 2002 and repeated the feat 12 months later.

Since then it has been her older sister that has dominated the contests between them, culminating in last year's thrilling SW19 success 7-5, 6-4.

Can Serena claim her third Wimbledon crown by beating her sister this year? - Latest Tennis Betting:

Venus has dominated the last decade at Wimbledon since beating Lindsay Davenport in 2000. She saw off Justine Henin over three sets in 2001 but then had to wait another four years before claiming her third title, with another three-set classic against Davenport.

Such has been the Williams' superiority in the last ten competitions that at least one of them has reached the final every year since 2000, apart from 2006 when Amelie Mauresmo beat Henin.

Despite turning their attentions towards non-tennis activities like fashion and designing, the American sisters and are on a different level than the rest of the women's game with Venus' demolition of Safina highlighting that gulf in class.

It is only their lack of tournament action that has led them not to be seeded one and two at Wimbledon this year and it is only right that they will be contesting the final for the fourth time.

Dementieva has all the shots and her serve has improved markedly in the last 12 months but mentally continues to look vulnerable, while Safina's game appears to be all about power and little else.

Unfortunately as Thursday's one-sided semi-final encounter showed, if the power game does not work, Safina does not have a plan B and her reign as the world number one looks set to be very short.

The 23-year-old reached the final of the Australian and French Opens earlier this year but was embarrassed in each match and, after her capitulation to Venus, she may struggle to bounce back mentally.

That side of the game has never been a problem for the Williams sisters, who will hopefully produce another match to remember in this year's final.

online betting