Age just a number for
SEMIFINAL: BRITISH NO 1’S WIMBLEDON DREAM IS DEAD
Tough Muguruza sets up classic clash on Centre Court.
Venus Williams became the oldest Wimbledon finalist for 23 years yesterday 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.
The 37-year-old’s sublime display of power-hitting stopped Konta becoming the first British woman to make the final for 40 years and set up a final against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza.
Venus, aiming to win her first Wimbledon title since 2008, took only 73 minutes to write her name in the history books as the oldest Wimbledon finalist since Martina Navratilova in 1994.
“I’ve played a lot of finals here. I couldn’t ask for more, but I’ll ask for a little more! One more would be amazing,” Venus said.
After losing the Australian Open final in January, the world number 11 would be the oldest Wimbledon champion in the Open era – breaking her sister Serena’s record – if she collects her eighth Grand Slam crown tomorrow.
At an age when all of her contemporaries have long since retired, Venus is still going strong.
With Virginia Wade, the last British woman to reach the final, watching from the Royal Box, Konta had to withstand an early barrage from Williams.
Crucially, Konta couldn’t take her chance when she earned two break points at 4-4 as Williams served her way out of trouble.
Venus made Konta pay in the next game, unloading a series of blistering groundstrokes to secure three set points, then converting the second when the Briton missed with a forehand.
Venus turned the screw with a break in the fourth game of the second set.
As Konta’s despairing forehand trickled into the net, the crowd’s resigned sigh was music to Williams’ ears.
She went for the kill, smashing a serve that almost took Konta’s head off and within minutes she was celebrating one of her most complete Wimbledon performances.
Standing in Williams’ way next is 2016 French Open champion Muguruza, who stormed into her second Wimbledon final in three years with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of nerve-ridden Magdalena Rybarikova.
The 23-year-old, beaten by Serena Williams in the 2015 Wimbledon final, is into her third Grand Slam final. – AFP