Serena hammers Vesnina to reach final

“It’s just a very good feeling”, Kerber said in the Guardian after defeating Venus Williams in the semifinals. Venina, playing at this stage of a Grand Slam for the first time, did eventually get on the board, but was unable to stem the tide of winners streaming from Williams’s racquet, an ace down the T closing out the set in emphatic fashion. Overall the sisters have played against each other in nine Grand Slam finals, but it wasn’t meant to be in 2016.

John McEnroe, three-time Wimbledon champion: “Let’s be real, I’m guessing it’s a combination of fatigue and Vesnina freezing. I’m enjoying my tennis, I am playing the best tennis of my life and enjoying myself”.

“It’s a completely new tournament, a new surface and everything is completely new”, the 28-year-old German said of her upcoming rematch with Serena.

Kerber knew the key to the match was her own serve, which had looked fragile in the quarter-finals against Simona Halep.

The Williams sisters have already won five Wimbledon ladies’ doubles titles, the last of which came in 2012.

Angelique Kerber of Germany returns to Venus Williams of the U.S during their women’s singles match on day eleven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 7, 2016.

World No. 3 Angelique Kerber, who beat Williams in Melbourne for her first major title, powered past the elder Williams, winning 6-4, 6-4.

That proved a crucial moment as she pressed home her advantage with a fourth successive break. The women’s number one blasted 11 aces and 28 winners while committing only seven unforced errors.

A startled Vesnina shook her head as she attempted to catch her breath after being shellshocked by an onslaught from her vastly superior opponent, who strolled back to her seat as if she was taking a walk in the park.

But her dreams of a first major title since 2008 were finally put to rest when Kerber unleashed one last crunching cross court victor.

Overall this is the ninth Wimbledon final for her, as she has won it 6 times.

But the No4 seed Kerber is made of strong stuff and after a shaky start from both women, she pulled away to set up a final against Serena Williams, who demolished Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-0 in the first semi-final.

“I’m very happy. I was really focused today”.

“I watched a lot of her Wimbledon finals”, Kerber said.

“It’s never easy out there”, the No. 1-seeded Williams said in an interview with the BBC after leaving Centre Court.

The defending champion earned herself £500,000 by progressing to the final, equating to £10,417 for every minute she played.

“To beat Venus in the semi-finals.it’s always a tough match against her”.

If any more incentive were needed there is family honour at stake after Kerber beat older sister Venus 6-4 6-4 in the second semi-final, denying the 36-year-old a first Wimbledon final since 2009 when Serena beat her. She pitched a shutout in the second set, winning all 12 points played on her serve.