Williams edges closer to sixth SW19 crown

Venus Williams continued to put the new generation in their place as she defeated French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Ostapenko was only a few weeks old when Williams made her Wimbledon debut 20 years ago.

The 37-year-old Williams made experience count in a 6-3 7-5 victory to move closer to a sixth title at the All England Club.

Williams has not won a grand slam crown since lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish for the fifth time nine years ago.

Williams, who now plays Johanna Konta, becomes the oldest Wimbledon semi-finalist since Martina Navratilova in 1994.

Garbine Muguruza moved one step closer to winning her second grand slam title by beating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-finals. Muguruza was a runner-up at the All England Club in 2015 but looks primed to go one better this year after easing past the experienced Kuznetsova 6-3 6-4.

Last year’s French Open champion will now face either American Coco Vandeweghe or the tournament’s surprise package Magdalena Rybarikova for a place in the final on Saturday.

Kuznetsova enjoyed strong starts in both sets but failed to capitalise and it was Muguruza’s superior serving and movement that proved decisive on Court One.

Rybarikova becomes the latest outsider to make a run to the last four of a slam, with the world No 87 defeating Vandeweghe 6-3 6-3.

Venus Williams made her Wimbledon debut 20 years ago.