Wimbledon 2016: All-Williams final looming?

“Look at Serena. It’s just depends on how you feel and how you want to keep going”.

“If you are Serena Williams, this happens a lot – but as Venus Williams, this is an awesome day”, the USA veteran said, in reference to her younger sister. “That definitely took me by surprise”, Serena said after the sisters completed a 6-4 6-3 doubles victory over Czech pair Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka following their singles matches. “That’s been really good for her and super encouraging for me”.

The American finished the match with an 11th ace. “It is remarkable what she’s doing”. The 23rd-ranked Russian stretched the six-time champion, but an aggressive Williams delivered all the right answers under pressure.

No. 50-ranked Elena Vesnina was the happy odd-woman-out on Tuesday when she joined world No. 1 Serena Williams, former No. 1 Venus Williams and Australian Open champion Angie Kerber in the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Under pressure, even the game’s greatest serve can occasionally fall out of sync.

“She’s incredibly resilient. She has a great attitude, and it’s put her in position to compete here”.

More importantly, she’s banging the slider wide with authority, a key stroke in her SW19 success. The Russian found some crisp winners much to the frustration of her illustrious opponent.

“She was serving amazingly today”, Pavlyuchenkova said. “There was a bit of breeze out there as well”.

“It’s no secret, I’m a very intense player”.

“Confidence maybe a little bit”.

“You don’t need to give her a lot of free points”.

Seeking her 22nd grand slam title, Serena Williams marched into the Wimbledon semifinals after beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Eight seed Venus Williams, 36, who is the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist in the last 22 years, beat the unseeded Kazakhstan 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

Venus won her first title at the All England Club in 2000, and then added titles in 2001, ’05, ’07 and ’08, but has been slowed in recent years by Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition that can cause joint pain and saps energy.

“Venus will take on Germany’s Angelique Kerber in her semi-final on Thursday while Serena goes head-to-head with Russia’s Elena Vesnina on the same day”. After just 76 minutes, Vesnina had converted her first Major quarter-final into her first Major semi-final, 6-2, 6-2. Both women were coming off physically-draining 9-7 in the third set victories yesterday.

Exhausted after her unexpectedly long stay in England, Cibulkova can’t wait to focus on confetti and wedding cake.

She becomes the oldest semi-finallist since a 37-year-old Martina Navratilova reached the last-four in 1994.

Williams, who compiled a 25-2 edge in winners, wasn’t aware of the 300-win milestone until she was asked about it in a post-match interview.

But she will acknowledge one life lesson learned, from the perspective of her ripened years.

But the physical and emotional toll of Monday’s epic encounter told and she was comfortably beaten 6-2 6-2 by Vesnina. Roaring through a 59-second hold, Williams rattled a backhand error from Pavlyuchenkova to snatch a one-set lead.

Cibulkova is due to marry fiancé Miso Navara in her hometown of Bratislava on Saturday – the same day as the women’s final – and the 27-year-old was willing to postpone the ceremony if she won the quarter-final. Another menacing return drew a netted forehand for the second break. Bruno Soares wrote on Twitter that he felt the benefit because he is the doubles partner of Andy’s brother Jamie, to which Vesnina, Soares’ mixed doubles partner, replied that she should too.

Since squeezing out a three-set comeback over Christina McHale in the second round, Williams has been a much more proactive player.

Serena said: “It was good”. I have no problem where I play.

“I think tomorrow I will realise that I had a great grass-court season”. Me, as well, of course. “Like I always say, it’s super inspiring for me”.