Veterans step up Down Under
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA • For all their Grand Slam successes, Venus Williams and Roger Federer still find themselves surprised to be in the semifinals at the Australian Open.
Injuries, illness and advancing age can do that to the best of athletes, even 17- time major champion Fe de re rand seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Williams, who has overcome an energy- sapping illness and is playing some of her best tennis since being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011.
“I have a lot to give, I have a lot to give to the game. I feel like I have a lot of great tennis in me,” Williams said when asked why she didn’t retire when diagnosed with the illness that also causes joint pain. “So any time you feel that way, you continue. It’s just the excitement of having the opportunity to compete at my best level.”
The 36- year- old Williams beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6- 4, 7- 6 (3) on Tuesday, becoming the oldest player to reach the semifinals at Melbourne Park in the Open era. She’ ll next play CoCo Vandeweghe, an American who beat French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 6- 4, 6- 0 in Tuesday’s other quarter-final match.
It was a long time coming for Williams, who reached her 21st Grand Slam semifinal but her first at the Australian Open in 14 years.
The 35- year- old Federer, meanwhile, is back from a six-month layoff due to knee surgery. On Tuesday, he had a 6-1, 7- 5, 6-2 win over Mischa Zverev, the player who eliminated top- seeded Andy Murray.
Federer’s semifinal opponent will be Stan Wawrinka, who had his major breakthrough in Australia in 2014. Wawrinka beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7- 6 (2), 6-4, 6-3.
On Wednesday, the men’s semifinalists from the other side of the draw will be determined when 14- time major champion Rafael Nadal plays Milos Raonic and David Goffin takes on Grigor Dimitrov.
With Murray and secondround loser Novak Djokovic gone, the “throwback” enthusiasts are hoping for a Federer- Nadal final, just for old time’s sake.