Agence France-Presse
London, July 7: Six-time champion Serena Williams breezed into her ninth Wimbledon final by demolishing unseeded Russian Elena Vesnina in just 48 minutes Thursday. The 34-year-old American, who is bidding for an Open Era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title, cantered to a 6-2, 6-0 win over her 50th-ranked opponent.
Serena will meet Angelique Kerber of Germany, who had beaten her in the final of the Australian Open. Kerber ended Venus Williams’ dream run with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Serena, playing in her 32nd Grand Slam semifinal, blasted last-four debutant Vesnina off the sun-kissed Centre Court in front of Prince William’s wife Kate watching from up in the Royal Box.
The American fired 11 aces, 28 winners and committed just seven unforced errors, breaking serve five times to reach her 28th Grand Slam final. Vesnina won just three points off the Serena serve in the first set and none in the second.
“I’m very happy. I was really focused today (Thursday). We’ve had tough matches before and I knew she could bring it to me on this surface,” said Serena, who has now defeated the Russian in all their five meetings.
Despite the painfully one-sided semifinal Serena, into her third Grand Slam final of the year, insisted it had been a tough workout. “It’s never easy out there, every point you have to fight for,” she asserted. “I can’t believe I’m in the final this year. I’m 0-2 this year so I’m determined to win one. I want Venus to win, but Kerber would also be another good match.”
Thursday’s contest saw Serena race to a 4-0 lead in the first set before 29-year-old Vesnina got on the board. But the set was over in 28 minutes courtesy of Serena’s seventh ace. The second set was wrapped up in just 20 minutes with breaks in the first, third and fifth games.
