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Serena to
meet giant-killer Zheng
Two-time champion Serena Williams brushed aside the challenge of
Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska to book her place in the
Wimbledon semi-finals.
Williams' serve gave her the edge at the end of the first set and
Radwanska crumbled at the start of the second.
The American sixth seed won seven games in a row, hitting 26 winners
on her way to a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Serena will play Chinese wildcard Jie Zheng in the last four after
she beat 18th seed Nicole Vaidisova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.
Zheng, who beat world number one Ana Ivanovic in the third round,
maintained her impressive form and becomes the first Chinese player
to reach the last four of a Grand Slam.
Williams, whose sister Venus is in the other semi-final against
Elena Dementieva, must overcome the world 133 to reach her first
final here since 2004.
On that occasion she lost to Maria Sharapova but this year she looks
in good shape to add to her previous titles in 2002 and 2003.
"I would never sit here and say Venus is the favourite for a
tournament when I am still in the draw," Williams said. "That's not
me. I always believe that I am the favourite.
"Will it be an all-Williams final? I surely hope so and I have got
to say I believe so. But now I am just fighting to win my next
match."
Radwanska, who beat fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth
round, made a determined start to their quarter-final on Centre
Court.
Even when the Pole was broken at 1-1, she continued to match
Williams shot for shot and they shared some thrilling rallies as she
immediately pulled level.
The sheer power of Williams' groundstrokes began to tell as the set
progressed and she took control of the match when she broke again to
take a 4-3 lead.
Radwanska battled on, however, and stubbornly forced the American to
serve out for the set.
But that resistance was nowhere to be seen in the second set and
Williams was soon two breaks up at 3-0.
She produced her best tennis of the tournament as she racked up the
three games she needed for victory in double-quick time and will be
in confident mood ahead of her semi-final.
"I feel like I stepped up a notch today, especially with my serve,"
Williams added.
"That was the turning point of the whole match. I placed them well
and that is how I am used to serving so I need to keep that going.
"I expected her to hit some good shots, which she did, but I played
the extra shot when I had to."
Radwanska admitted she was outclassed, saying: "Serena was serving
unbelievably today, especially in the second set when she could hit
four aces in a game. She didn't give me a chance.
"When she is playing like that it is very tough to play against her
and she was too good for me."
But Zheng will also have reason to be optimistic after another
impressive display helped her get past Vaidisova.
It is uncharted territory for the 24-year-old from Chengdu, who had
never previously been past the third round at a Grand Slam and who
missed the whole of 2007 with an ankle injury.
That absence saw the doubles specialist's singles ranking slip from
27 to outside the top 100, but this success is still unprecedented
and completely unexpected.
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