Can Anybody Stop The Williams Sisters?

Lawn Tennis, Ace Tennis Magazine, Lawn Tennis Magazine

Can Anybody Stop The Williams Sisters?
By Anton Lagani, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Monday, June 28, 2010 7:45pm PST USA

Can Anybody Stop The Williams Sisters? Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Ace Tennis Magazine, Lawn Tennis Magazine

LONDON--Like Steffi Graf times two, the reigning Wimbledon champion Serena Williams of the USA and her older sister Venus Williams have dominated the ladies’ field at the Championships; winning eight of the last ten title matches.

Maria Sharapova of Russia is the only other active WTA Tour player to have ever won Wimbledon; taking the title in 2004 by defeating the world number one Serena Williams in the final 6-1, 6-4. In a heated fourth round rematch Monday, the 16th seeded Sharapova put up a respectable fight versus Williams and held several setpoints in the first set tiebreaker, before she fell 7-6(11-9), 6-4.

The final two points of the tiebreaker highlighted a major key to the encounter. Sharapova, playing with a post-surgery right shoulder would doublefault before Williams would slam one of her 19 aces for the day down the tee. Williams, a three times Wimbledon champion, had also connected with 19 aces in her third round match.

“I gave her a run for her money,” said Sharapova. “I thought I played really well and I thought I had my chances. If it was not for her really great serving, I certainly had a real good look at winning the match.”

In her fourth round Monday, the world number two Venus Williams, a five time Wimbledon champion, defeated the unseeded Jarmilla Groth of Australia 6-4, 7-6(7-5). Williams had trailed 4-5 and 5-6 in the second set before turning up her power game to close out the match.

Serena Williams and Venus Williams

2010 The Championships Wimbledon Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, Ace Tennis Magazine, 2010, Lawn Tennis Magazine, Lawn Tennis

One of the Williams sisters has reached the Wimbledon final nine of the last ten years, facing each other the last two years.

Known for their athletic power baseline games and booming serves; which are both rewarded on the fast dry grasscourt surface at London; one of the Williams sisters has reached the Wimbledon final nine of the last ten years, facing each other the last two years.

Both Williams sisters return to the courts Tuesday for the ladies’ the quarterfinals. Venus Williams takes on the unseeded Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria, who holds a surprisingly even head to head record versus Williams at 1-1. In their last meeting in 2006 at the Australian Open, Pironkova upset the American 2-6, 6-0, 9-7.

Serena Williams meets the solid and powerful baseliner Na Li of China in the second quarterfinal to be played on the Center Court. Williams leads the 9th seeded Li head to head 4-1, having won their last meeting in January at the Australian Open semifinals 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-1).

Located on opposite sides of the ladies’ singles draw, the Williams sisters could only play each other in what might appear to be an inevitable Saturday championship match showdown.

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