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Serena Williams won. Venus Williams lost. Both have shown the fiery resilience that has kept them in the highest level of women's tennis for so long.
At the beginning of Friday, the two Williams sisters were the only Wimbledon champions remaining in the table. While her older sister Venus, 38, won five singles titles on grass, the new mother Serena won seven. Even though pregnant Serena was out of the tournament last year, Venus had reached the final to mark his 20th birthday at the most prestigious tennis tournament
. , Venus struggled to reach the top. She had beaten early in her first two games and was about to make another incredible comeback on Friday, before Kiki Bertens canceled her hopes. The American was sneaked and collapsed, but lost 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-8 after two hours and 40 minutes of absorbing tennis.
Venus Williams in action against Kiki Bertens on Friday. Reuters
Although Venus rarely made comparisons with artists – a thing apparently reserved to Roger Federer in tennis – the American long-limbed flying at Wimbledon was once a picture to behold. The green grass courts provided the perfect canvas for his speed and athleticism. In ten years, from 2000, the Big W was his playground: she won five titles and finished three times. The American is no longer as playful, but he can still thrill a perfectly tilted winner.
The resilience of Venus is muted. His aggressiveness is usually channeled through his shots. But his determination is unmistakable, as Bertens learned on Friday. The Dutch thought she had the whole match sewn at 6-2, 3-1. But Venus had not finished yet. She had taken her time to warm up in her two previous matches, and nearly an hour into it, she decided to take charge. In a dramatic passage in the second set, Venus broke Bertens' service to level at 4-4 only to lose her next serve game. But a blazing comeback to 0-15 down, with Bertens serving for the match at 5-4, announced that the American was well and truly back in the game. She forced nervous errors out of her rival to win the game and then pushed the whole thing into a tie-break.
A clever right hand volley put its lead 6-2 in the tiebreaker. The American had to get rid of her own nerves and clear the double fault that she turned on her fourth set point. In the comment box, Venus' former opponent Kim Clijsters predicted another victory for her.
"I ran into Venus and Serena and I still lost it, because they managed to light it," said the Belgian. "It's pretty frustrating for the opponent."
Intelligent rallies measured, with players moving each other, dominated the decisive. The players traded early breaks, but he became too close to be called at the end. After working hard to find the way back, it seemed unlikely that Venus would give it up. But Bertens refused to surrender.
Serving second, Venus cleverly withstood the pressure on her for three games, especially when she was 0-30 to 5-6. Venus took more risks, hitting corners and lines. No time to punch. She was comfortable 40-15 on duty when her service began to waver. Bertens was beaten at Deuce, then led a winner of the forehand. At the end of a match point, Venus bravely slid towards the net and managed a volley to bring it back to two points. Once held the fastest service on the women's circuit, the American was struggling to keep her first serve. She saved another match with a forehand, but in the third, the fight was over. Venus hit a forehand in the net to give Bertens a well-deserved victory.
"I still can not believe it," said Bertens later. "It was a tough match and such a big fight, it was hard because I played it in Miami and I had a few (three) match points and I was not there. Of course, that sometimes crossed my mind, but I was like – okay, keep going for that – it's Wimbledon, third round, you do not. have never reached the fourth round before so you have nothing to lose so just keep going for your shots. "
While Venus was fighting for survival on Court # 1, her sister Serena was looking to organize a return of his own on the Short Center. Serena, 36, who gave birth to a girl in September, has qualified for the fourth round of her second major by beating Kristina Mladenovic.
The goal line was a simple 7-5, 7-6 (2) win for the champion seven times. But it was not without stuttering and lacking, that she overcame resolutely. Mladenovic, who entered the top 10 for the first time last year, was quick on the blocks and sprinted to a 4-2 lead. But she could not finish the job against a rusty but very competitive Serena. With Mladenovic serving in the 5-4 set, Serena did her best. She first hit a winner behind the French then took her on an awkward foot. She converted to the first break point to start a series of six consecutive games.
Mladenovic recovered and leveled the set. Serena's level oscillated from top to bottom, but her service made sure she stayed afloat comfortably. Although the French fought to take the game in the tie-break, the game of Serena, especially his service, increased a few notches. She ran to a 4-0 lead, then scored two aces to win 7-2. The American served 13 aces in total, including 11 in the second set.
"I worked very, very hard (to come back) and it was a long, arduous road, but I was still waiting to come out I can do it," she said after the match . "I do not really care who I face, every opponent is playing his game. Many better players have lost, technically I'm not one, even though I have the victories of 1. I'm getting ready for everyone I play. "
No one spoke like Serena
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