Women’s semis, Wimbledon

No surprises here.

1) Serena Williams totally dominated Elena Vesnina, who in the last year has gone from a doubles specialist to one of the top singles players on the tour.  This sudden success in singles after several years of middling play is a developing pattern on the women’s tour.  Kerber, Konta, and Halep are others who have unexpectedly improved dramatically in singles.  The explanation for this phenomenon escapes me.

Vesnina should be delighted to have reached the semis here, and not ashamed to have lost to Serena, who played her best match of the tournament.  Serena did everything well, and kept her focus.  No chance for Vesnina, who was powered off the court.

2) Kerber beats Venus Williams.  Like Vesnina, Venus Williams should be proud of her performance here.  By the time she reached the semis today, though, Williams had had more than enough tennis for a 36–year-old.  When you’re a bit weary, it’s no fun playing Kerber, one of the four best defenders in the women’s game (Wozniaki, Halep and Aggie Radwanska are the other three).  Venus’ tired legs made her unable to set up properly for her shots, and that led to unforced errors.  As usual, Angie retrieved everything and extended rallies to the point of exhaustion.  Kerber won in straights, and she will now be in her second slam final of 2016.

Kerber beat Serena in the final of the Aussie Open, but on grass she will have a much tougher time.  Look for Serena to win slam No. 22, which will force the press to look for something else to talk about.