A win, then a hug: Serena tops Venus at Wimbledon

Serena Williams returns a shot against Venus Williams during Mondays match in Wimbledon, London.

Before Venus strode off into the future, she was even asked to consider what her career might be remembered for. “For Venus, also. But it’s not something easy or pleasant against each other“.

This time it came in the fourth round of the Grand Slam tournament in London. “It’s never easy to play someone you love and care about”.

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. “Very aggressive”, said Serena’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. I don’t know how many more moments like this we’ll have. She needed no invitation to take one. Of the five other remaining men, only one – Gasquet, in 2007 – has even made it to the semifinals at the All England Club.

After falling to her younger sister in straight sets, Venus Williams claimed that though it is early to regard Serena as the greatest of all time, some day she will surely be there.

After sweeping to the Australian and French Open, Serena’s Wimbledon form leaves her the justifiable title favourite.

A brief tussle towards the middle of the set saw Venus break back only for Serena to reciprocate immediately, and after that it was plain sailing for the world No 1 to take the set. She had 10 aces, as well as 36 winners and 13 unforced errors. The world no. 1 easily dismantled the elder Williams with a score of 6-4 6-3, keeping her Grand Slam history bid alive.

British number one Watson squandered two match points and one of the great Wimbledon upsets as Williams recovered her poise to set up this meeting with Venus.

She remains on course to complete the third leg of a possible calendar Grand Slam. It was a more muscular and physical Venus then, four years before she was struck with Sjögren’s syndrome, the condition which affects the body’s moisture-producing glands and has left her short of energy, in muscular pain, wondering if there will actually be a way back. Serena Williams defeated her sister then and won 6-4, 6-3 over Venus again on Monday. “Its different. Especially when shes going for something this historic, which is achievable for her.”Serena will next face another familiar opponent — Victoria Azarenka, the two-time Australian Open champion from Belarus.

Elsewhere, Roger Federer beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to cruise into quarters. Although Venus twice staved off two break points – in the first and seventh games – an ill-timed double-fault handed Serena a 4-3 lead that effectively ended the contest.

The 29-year-old won a last-16 clash at the majors for just the third time in 19 attempts.

The world number 47 has dumped out seeds Karolina Pliskova, Samantha Stosur and last month’s beaten French Open finalist Lucie Safarova. Sharapova has not dropped a set so far, losing only 23 games in four matches.

Sharapova endured her toughest test so far but still made it through to the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kazakhstan’s unseeded Zarina Diyas.

Timea Bacsinszky moved past Monica Niculescu 1-6 7-5 6-2 to meet Caroline Wozniacki’s conqueror Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, in the quarter-finals.

Maria Sharapova is displaying glimpses of her golden days in this edition of the tournament.

Stan Wawrinka (4), Switzerland, def. David Goffin (16), Belgium, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7), 6-4.

Gilles Simon will be playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time after beating 2010 Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych while US.