Venus sets up Muguruza final
LONDON: Venus Williams became the oldest Wimbledon finalist for 23 years on Thursday as the American star ended Johanna Konta’s history bid with a masterful 6-4, 6-2 win. Twenty years after making her Wimbledon debut, five-time champion Williams is into her ninth final at the All England Club and her first since 2009. Williams’ sublime display of powerhitting on Centre Court stopped Konta becoming the first British woman to make the final for 40 years and set up a title match against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza who beat Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 6-1. Muguruza needed 64 minutes to beat the 87th-ranked Rybarikova, who had beaten Karolina Pliskova and Coco Vanderweghe on her unexpected run to the last four. Muguruza was stronger in every department, hitting 22 winners and just 11 unforced errors as she won 60 points to Rybarikova’s 33 with her backhand down the line, fundamental to her win.
KONTA BID FAILS
Konta was looking to become the first woman on home soil to reach the Wimbledon final since Virginia Wade in 1977, but she was picked off at crucial times by the 37-year-old Williams
Williams, who claimed the last of her Wimbledon titles nine years ago, was too strong for her opponent from the baseline and was able to produce booming serves whenever the Briton threatened.
After initially going toe-to-toe with the seven-time Grand Slam winner, Konta was unable to put Williams under sustained pressure and ended the contest a clear second best, losing eight of the final 10 games.
Konta saved two match points before Williams finally ended her resistance, smashing a forehand that flew past the Briton and left the American to twirl in celebration on Centre Court.
“I’ve played a lot of finals here. One more win will be amazing. It won’t be a given but I’ll give it my all,” Williams said.
“The crowd were very nice to me. The crowd were so fair, I know they love Jo.”
Konta’s one chance to upset Williams came in the ninth game of the first set when the Briton crafted two break points, but Williams saved the first with a backhand winner and launched a 106mph second serve to level the score at deuce.
That was as good as it got for Konta, who was immediately broken in the next game.
Williams then turned the screw on her sixth-seeded opponent, breaking twice more to wrap up the match in an hour and 13 minutes.