We should
have known Serena Williams' routine, straight-sets win over older sister Venus
at Wimbledon was an anomaly for tennis' leading woman.
Tuesday in the
quarterfinals, Williams was back in the trenches in another battle, the type
that's been a mainstay in many of her grand slam matches in 2015.
But as she did at the Australian Open, French Open and last week at the All
England Club, the world No. 1 prevailed to move within two matches of achieving
the "Serena Slam" for the second time in her record-breaking career.
Williams ousted
former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka 3-6 6-2 6-3 to set up a semifinal showdown with
longtime rival Maria Sharapova. Her final numbers were outstanding -- 46
winners and a mere 12 unforced errors.
Azarenka must
have been especially annoyed at again seeing the American across the net. She
was one of those on the receiving end of a Williams rally at Roland Garros,
watching a set and break lead evaporate before getting what she felt was a
"bull s**t" call deep in the second set.
Weeks
earlier, outside the grand slams at the Madrid Open, Azarenka wasted three
match points against her off-court friend.
The way Williams
served against Azarenka -- tallying 17 aces -- it's difficult to envisage
anyone preventing the 33-year-old from completing her Wimbledon job and
grabbing a 21st grand slam title.
Although Serena
and Sharapova are arguably the most famous active female athletes in the world,
their rivalry is highly lopsided. Williams has won 16 matches in a row, last
tasting defeat in 2004 at the year-end championships.
Though
Williams' Center Court affair with Azarenka lacked the controversy of their
duel in Paris, ill temper did feature on the main arena during Sharapova's 6-3
6-7 (3-7) 6-2 win over another U.S. player, CoCo Vandeweghe.
Sharapova's
behavior drew the ire of the first-time grand slam quarterfinalist -- and
grunts weren't the issue. The Russian was accused of trying to put off her
younger opponent when the 23-year-old served.
Much of
Vandeweghe's post-match press conference centered on her displeasure with
Sharapova's antics. She complained to chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore but said
she didn't hear the official say anything to the five-time grand slam winner.
"What I
experienced, what I felt from her moving around in between my serving motion
was not, I don't think, sportsmanlike, in my opinion," Vandeweghe, whose
uncle is former NBA star Kiki Vandeweghe, told reporters. "I try to play
as fair as I can.
"When I
felt like it wasn't being reciprocated, that's when I spoke with the umpire for
her to deal with."
Sharapova
was not concerned when told of the 47th-ranked Vandeweghe's views at her press
conference.
"I mean, it
is what it is," said Sharapova. "What she said, I'm not going to
argue against her words."
And besides,
Sharapova has to find a way to defeat Williams.
She was
able to do so at Wimbledon in the 2004 Wimbledon final, becoming a household
name as a 17-year-old with her first slam success.
"Definitely
no secrets between each other's games," Sharapova said.
However, the
28-year-old will need to improve a serve which has never been the same since
career-threatening shoulder surgery.
She delivered 10
double faults against Vandeweghe, and failed to serve out for the match at 5-4
in the second set.
"I made it
more difficult for myself, but I'm still here," Sharapova said.
Williams began
to show top form in the second set against Azarenka and broke for 4-2 with a
fine backhand passing shot that forced the Belorussian into a volley error.
What happened in the ensuing game might have been the turning point.
Holding two
straight break points to get back on serve, Azarenka missed the first when
Williams was stranded with most of the court open. Her forehand down the line
sailed long.
As the tussle
developed, Williams' fist pumps of anguish turned into celebratory exclamation
marks.
Azarenka
manufactured seven break points in the first two sets, but the two-time
Australian Open champion had one in the decider -- in the final game. Williams,
though, saved it with the last of her nine aces in the third and the pair
hugged at the net seconds later.
Thursday's other
semifinal will pit rejuvenated 2012 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska against
Garbine Muguruza, who sent Williams packing from the 2014 French Open.
On Court One,
baseline-basher Muguruza beat Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 7-5 6-3 to become
the first Spanish woman to make the semifinals at Wimbledon since Arantxa
Sanchez-Vicario in 1997.
Radwanska
followed with a 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-3 win against 2015 Australian Open semifinalist
Madison Keys, like Muguruza one of the younger guard.
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