Serena beats Venus in 2 sets in 4th round at Wimbledon

Some 17 years after the inseparable siblings first met in the professional arena, neither Williams asked or offered any quarter.

“It’s hard to feel excited about [beating] someone you root for all the time no matter what and you love so much and is your best friend in the world”, Serena said. “I just take Wimbledon as such, what a huge tournament it is, what an opportunity it is”.

She remains on course to complete the third leg of a possible calendar Grand Slam.

Everyone wants to know now: Will Serena win the Grand Slam?

Looking further ahead, Serena could go to the USA Open with a chance at the first true Grand Slam – four majors in a single season – since Steffi Graf in 1988.

“It was really good for me to get it done in straight sets, and just put this behind me and just move forward”, Serena said. “I have nothing to complain about it”.

Study the images of some of those old days – the aftermath of the 2008 Wimbledon final, for example, which was the last time Venus emerged successful from a Grand Slam meeting with her sister – and you will see the changes time has wrought.

Individually and together, the Williams sisters have become two of the greatest champions at the All England Club.

As they remain at the top of the women’s game the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, once again took tennis from the court and placed it in the centre of a debate on age as well as sibling affections and rivalry.

Serena broke twice in each set and lost serve just once. She had 10 aces, as well as a total of 26 winners and 13 unforced errors.

Monday’s victory improved her career record against Venus to 15-11, including six out of their last seven matches, 8-5 in Grand Slams and 4-2 at Wimbledon.

Speaking to Mary Carillo during the Tennis Channel broadcast of Wimbledon, Keys spoke of her first motivation to get pick up a racket and start to play tennis. In fact, we had to wait until the third game before Venus won her first point, an event that was greeted with cheers and applause from a sympathetic crowd.

She faces Vandeweghe in the quarterfinals after the USA world No. 47 edged out Czech sixth seed Lucie Safarova, last month’s beaten French Open finalist, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/4).

The sisters were amicable after the match, hugging each other over the net.

“Hopefully it will come a little later in the tournament, but I definitely think it could present itself again”. “It’s different. Especially when she’s going for something this historic, which is achievable for her”. The defeat means that ex- No. 1 Wozniacki has reached only one Grand Slam quarterfinal in her last 14 majors (2014 United States Open final).

Swiss Roger Federer beat Roberto Bautista of Spain 6-2 6-2 6-3 and made his way into the quarters easily. She hasn’t had the success of her sister, but she’s had her success, winning nine Grand Slam titles throughout her career.

With Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe also winning Monday, it’s the first time three American women have reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Serena, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati did it in 2004.

This year made Serena’s 18th Wimbledon.

Vandeweghe will next face fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova, the 2004 champion who downed Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-4.

Both cut different figures in a strangely emotionless match where neither sister wished to exploit the others discomfort at losing a point.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet also advanced with a 7-5, 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (8/6) victory over Australian Nick Kyrgios.

Gasquet will now face Stan Wawrinka, who hasn’t dropped a set all tournament.

Venus and left-handed Croatian partner Mate Pavic lost to the top seeds, Bob and Mike Bryan in one hour 30 minutes 7-6(4) 6-3 6-1 on court 18.

Vasek Pospisil rallied from two sets down to overcome No. 22 Viktor Troicki 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.