Third seed Venus Williams stayed resolutely on course for a third successive Wimbledon title with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska in their quarter-final yesterday.
Venus has not lost a set at Wimbledon since the 2007 third round and the 11th seeded Radwanska rarely threatened a shock on a sun-kissed Court One.
“She’s such a great grasscourt player, she plays the ball so low and plays so quick. I was happy to get through,” Venus said in a courtside interview.
PHOTO: AFP
“I can’t complain, the semi-finals at Wimbledon is right where I want to be,” she said.
At the prospect of a fourth Wimbledon final against sister Serena on Saturday, she said: “That would be fantastic, something I am hoping for, of course.”
Venus wore a brace again on her left leg but showed no weakness at all as she ripped 29 winners — compared to six for Radwanska — in a match that lasted just 68 minutes on a sunbaked Court One.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The American, seeking her third straight Wimbledon title, outhit the Pole from all parts of the court and proved again that she is the dominant female player on grass.
Venus raced to victory in the first set in 27 minutes and though the 20-year-old from Krakow broke early for a 2-0 lead in the second, the seven-times grand slam winner reeled off six straight games, clinching victory with a forehand winner.
In the mixed doubles Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung reached the third round with German partner Christopher Kas thanks to a walkover against Russian pair Maria Kirilenko and Igor Andreev.
Chuang and Kas, who had a bye in the first round, play Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Zimbabwe’s Kevin Ullyett in round three.
In the first round of the boy’s singles, Hsieh Cheng-peng of Taiwan won a tough three set clash against Johannes Robert Van Overbeek of the US.
The No. 13 seed lost the first set 4-6 before bouncing back to claim the second set 7-6.
The 17-year-old Taiwanese won the marathon deciding set 13-11.
Hsieh faced Alexander Domijan of the US in a second round clash later yesterday.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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