An all-Williams final remains a great possibility at this year’s Wimbledon after both sisters made it unscathed through their respective quarter-final matches to the semi’s set for tomorrow, Thursday.Five time champion – older sister – Venus Williams reached the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time after a six year absence with a victory over Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova. The eighth seeded Williams - at 36, the oldest Grand Slam semi-finalist for 22 years – outlasted Yaroslava Shvedova in a 64-minute first set and then brokered no argument in the second to triumph 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.
Shvedova who is ranked 96 was playing in her third Grand Slam quarter-final after beating a string of marquee names to make it into the quarter-finals.
On being back in the semi-final after five years of struggling with Sjogren’s Syndrome, a disorder which causes extreme fatigue and joint pain and has adversely impacted her career, Venus said, “It doesn’t feel foreign at all,”
A good day for the Williams family...
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2016
Serena joins Venus in the #Wimbledon semi-finals after beating Pavyluchenkova https://t.co/il8O5MffyiDefending Champion, 34 years old younger sister, Serena Williams also advanced to her 10th semi-final at the All England Club after beating Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-4, also on Tuesday to keep alive hopes of a ninth all-Williams Grand Slam final on Saturday, the 9th of July 6, 2016.
She is now within two match wins of a seventh Wimbledon crown, a title run which would draw her level with Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 Grand Slams.The sisters have a steep climb ahead of them before they can have their 9th Grand Slam meeting.
In Thursday's semis, Serena will have to overcome Russia's unseeded Elena Vesnina who thrashed Slovakian 19th seed D. Cibulkova in two straight sets 6-2, 6-2 and so will Venus when she takes on Germany's Angelique Kerber who defeated Romanian fifth seed Simona Halep 7-5, 7-2 (7-6).
Angelique Kerber is no stranger to the Williams family, she stunned Serena Williams, in a three-set slugfest 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 this past January in the Australian Open women’s singles final at Rod Laver Arena for her first career Grand Slam title.On the possibility of a final meeting Serena said, "We don't really talk too much about it but we are playing doubles later, so we are just happy to be in the semi-finals,”
For now, the Williams sisters will avoid casting any thoughts on a potential sibling rematch.
“It’d be great. Obviously I want her to win so badly, obviously not if I’m in the final. Other than that I want her to win,” Serena said.
“No I’m just trying to win my match. I knew I had a tough opponent today and now a semi-final. One thing I’ve learnt this year is to just focus on the match.”
Both will be only too happy to field witticisms about age if another family final materializes.
Two match wins must fall the family’s way first for the “Serena Slam” to happen.
Serena Williams beat Sister Venus in the 2009 final -- the last time they met at Wimbledon or in a grand slam.
Abena Alice with news wires
