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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Williams sisters duel in the desert for tour season finale
Source: Agencies |
November 2, 2009, Monday
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Print Edition
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HOLDER Venus Williams completed her circuitous route to the WTA Championships final in Doha, beating Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday to set up yet another showdown with sister Serena.
Serena, who will end the year as world No. 1 for the first time since 2002, got past Caroline Wozniacki after the Dane pulled out with a stomach injury when trailing 4-6, 0-1.
"I wasn't playing great. I think it's hard to play well against a player who's injured and is so nice," Serena told reporters. "I'm going to have to really improve my game against Venus if I want to win."
The Williams sisters have already met across the net in the Qatari capital at this event, Serena winning a three-set scrap in their Maroon Group clash which was their 22nd career duel.
There will be no Williams clean sweep though after they lost 6-2, 4-6, 8-10 in the doubles semifinal to Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
The Spanish duo takes on world No. 1 pairing Cara Black of Zimbabwe and American Liezel Huber.
Venus seemed down and out after defeat by her younger sister followed an opening group loss against Elena Dementieva. After beating Svetlana Kuznetsova, though, some complicated maths edged her through to the last four by virtue of sets won.
It was all a bit unconvincing again on Saturday as the seven-time grand slam champion sprayed errors around the court and also needed treatment on her knee several times.
Gradually she turned things in her favor after Jankovic committed the cardinal sin of failing to finish off a Williams sister when the chance presented itself.
Venus, 29, is the first player to reach the final after losing two matches in the round robin stage since Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo in 2003.
"In the first set I couldn't feel the ball and couldn't seem to get a ball in," said Venus.
"But this is my last tournament of the year so I was giving 1,000 percent," added the American world No. 7 who has played four three-set matches at the Khalifa Tennis Centre totalling nearly eight hours.
Serena, who will end the year as world No. 1 for the first time since 2002, got past Caroline Wozniacki after the Dane pulled out with a stomach injury when trailing 4-6, 0-1.
"I wasn't playing great. I think it's hard to play well against a player who's injured and is so nice," Serena told reporters. "I'm going to have to really improve my game against Venus if I want to win."
The Williams sisters have already met across the net in the Qatari capital at this event, Serena winning a three-set scrap in their Maroon Group clash which was their 22nd career duel.
There will be no Williams clean sweep though after they lost 6-2, 4-6, 8-10 in the doubles semifinal to Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
The Spanish duo takes on world No. 1 pairing Cara Black of Zimbabwe and American Liezel Huber.
Venus seemed down and out after defeat by her younger sister followed an opening group loss against Elena Dementieva. After beating Svetlana Kuznetsova, though, some complicated maths edged her through to the last four by virtue of sets won.
It was all a bit unconvincing again on Saturday as the seven-time grand slam champion sprayed errors around the court and also needed treatment on her knee several times.
Gradually she turned things in her favor after Jankovic committed the cardinal sin of failing to finish off a Williams sister when the chance presented itself.
Venus, 29, is the first player to reach the final after losing two matches in the round robin stage since Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo in 2003.
"In the first set I couldn't feel the ball and couldn't seem to get a ball in," said Venus.
"But this is my last tournament of the year so I was giving 1,000 percent," added the American world No. 7 who has played four three-set matches at the Khalifa Tennis Centre totalling nearly eight hours.
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