Venus and Serena Williams have set up a highly anticipated semifinal showdown at the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open.
The sisters will compete for the twentieth time on Thursday to decide who advances to Saturday’s championship match.
Serena Williams battled into the final four early on Wednesday after needing three sets to get past Na Li. Serena overcame a slow and lethargic start to defeat the Chinese player 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.
”I’m honestly glad to get through it,” Serena said after the match. “I feel like I wasn’t as upbeat and spirited as I normally am.”
Venus Williams joined her sister in the semifinals tonight after crushing Iveta Benesova 6-4, 6-1. She is looking forward to playing Serena, but knows that it will be a tough match.
“I enjoy playing her, because we challenge each other the most.” Venus said. “I walk out there knowing that it’s not over till it’s over. I really have to beat her.”
The first semifinal on Thursday will be between Svetlana Kuznetsova and Victoria Azarenka, followed by the All-Williams match in the night session.
On the Baseline’s live coverage of the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open is brought to you by Grand Slam Tennis Tours.
Once again, the final before the final.
There is no final but the final, and it will entail Victoria Azarenka beating a Williams-sister.
I agree with Andrew. The final is what counts. Azarenka got to the final fair and square. She took advantage of the seeds falling. That is what a good player is supposed to do. If she can stay confident, she might possibly prevail. She had Serena on the ropes at the Aussie until she succumbed to heat. But she has been dealing with the IW and Miami heat well. It is amazing that she reached the semis at IW and now just turned around and in another big tournament has hit the finals. I like all three players so we will see what happens. I am though, hoping for a Venus win over Serena.
What are you trying to say Sunny? Did not Serena Williams get to the finals “fair and square?” The AO was a different playing ground and didn’t Serena also have heat struggles there, too? Something like an “out of body experience.” Who knows what would have happened if Azarenka hadn’t retired because of the heat. Serena is a comeback champion. She was up 4-2 in the second set. I am positive that Serena would have won that match.
Now we will have to see how her knee or ankle holds up as she was limping pretty bad in the semi against her sister. (or are you thinking that was a setup for the finals if she lose) We know how you people think.
OH Yeah, and before you respond, “I know the ‘out of body experience’ was against Kuntzesova.”
Sorry Frankie but you are wrong in your assumptions. I wasn’t talking that much about Serena. I like Serena. I was just responding to the first post that alluded to the fact that the semis of the Williams was the real final. I thought this was a civil discussion site. Your comment “We know how you people think” was jumping the gun and was not polite. I never said anything about her knee or ankle or anything like that. Why you had to make things up out of thin air, I don’t know. I was just talking about a young player and her chances and possiblities against the #1 player. “Fair and square” just meant that I didn’t feel like that the semi was a final like the first post said. Whoever got to the final, be it Azarenka or S. Williams got there on their merits. I just don’t know why you were jumping to conclusions. As I said in the post, I like all three players (meaning Azarenka, V and S Williams.) But it doesn’t matter who I like; right or wrong I try to be objective. Just try to be more civil and don’t put words in anyone’s mouth. And who is “you people.” What a devisive and horrible thing to say.
I agree with you Sunny, I am a huge fan of Serena and her sister, but I never consider their matches the final before the final, the opponent on the other side, this being Azarenka, got there on her own merit and deserves to be there. If Serena hadn’t been injured, it would have been a beautiful final, perhaps gone three sets with Serena being the champion, and having watched Azarenka, that is a girl to watch indeed – if she doesn’t fall like Janko, ana and Safina. I do think, however, that no matter the sisters ranking, they ALWAYS seem to be in the same part of the draw. Being #1 and 2 shouldn’t be the only way to be on opposite sides of the draw. Still, I guess I can see the tournaments officals thought processes – if both are in the final, only fans of the sisters will be excited, and either ways the title goes to the family. Having them on the same side adds to the excitement and drama, I think.