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She's got it Venus downs Hingis to reach semis
Posted: Tuesday July 04, 2000 12:11 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- Fifth seed Venus Williams overpowered world number one Martina Hingis 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a Wimbledon classic on Tuesday to reach a semifinal against her younger sister, Serena. Power and aggression overcame tenacity and touch as the fifth seed reached her first semifinal at the All England Club by overcoming the top seed on Centre Court. The 1.85-meter Williams blasted down huge serves and prowled the net, pouncing on anything short in a tense and absorbing match of high quality tennis. Hingis, champion here in 1997, pulled off fine forehand winners, particularly under pressure in the second set, and some amazing recovery shots, but she was forced into uncharacteristic errors by the sheer aggression of her opponent. Hingis had a greater variety of shot but the constant pounding from the other side of the net earned Williams victory after two hours 13 minutes of pulsating tennis. In the first meeting between the two this year, Williams came out guns blazing under cloudy skies. She won the first two games before Hingis, who had conceded just 15 games from four matches going into the quarterfinal, got into her stride. Hingis, 19, broke back immediately but failed to match the high energy of the towering 20-year-old American who broke again in the eighth game and won the set with a 185 kph ace. Hingis dug deep in the second to find her impressive array of strokes and force Williams to the back of the court to counter the danger of the American's long reach at the net. After her serve was broken in the fifth game the Swiss countered with a remarkable forehand down the line to break back, then went ahead two games later with a sweet lob and volley. Williams saved four match points in the 10th game but looked to be losing her nerve as she dropped the set, putting a loose forehand volley wide. Exceptional returns of serve from both women led to five breaks at the start of the third set. In the sixth game Williams, gathering her nerves as tension mounted, received a time violation after taking too long to wipe her racket. But the pause paid off. She held serve and defended courageously to stop the five-time Grand Slam winner breaking through again. Williams sent down a huge ace to win the match then leapt in the air and waved, beaming to her father Richard, who is also her coach, and Serena who were in the crowd. The semifinal will be the Williams sisters' second meeting in a Grand Slam tournament after Venus won their second round match at the 1998 Australian Open. Venus has won three of the sisters' four matches but Serena has won a Grand Slam title, last year's U.S. Open.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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