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PREVIEW: Richard Williams can't bear to watch sisters go at it again

London - Richard Williams will be on a plane to LA with his new young wife while his daughters fight for the fourth time in a Wimbledon women's final Saturday. The eccentric tennis dad who boasts that he bought Venus and Serena into the world to beco...
Posted : Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:53:37 GMT
By : DPA
Category : UK (Sports)
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London - Richard Williams will be on a plane to LA with his new young wife while his daughters fight for the fourth time in a Wimbledon women's final Saturday. The eccentric tennis dad who boasts that he bought Venus and Serena into the world to become tennis players, suffers badly when his prodigy go at it hammer and tongs on court. Instead of facing his demons, Williams prefers not to know any of the dirty details when the sister act gets stuck into family battle.

While the senior Williams agreed to watch as his children played a Friday doubles semi-final, but has said he will never break his vow of skipping the finals. "I would never watch them, I'd have a heart attack," he told British media.

While the paternal influence will be missing again, the struggle will be just as fierce as the previous ones, with younger sibling Serena trying to prevent her sister from lifting a sixth trophy at the All England club.

The sisters have dominated this decade at the event, winning seven of the nine Wimbledon singles titles since 2000. The other champions have been Maria Sharapova (2004) and Amelie Mauresmo (2006).

There has been only one final this decade that did not include a Williams sister (2006, Mauresmo v Justine Henin).

Serena and Venus will both be playing in their 14th career Grand Slam singles final with Serena standing 10-3 while Venus is 7-6.

And despite how hard they try, it can't be just another match.

"Even if she's not playing her best, just that fight she has, you are facing that," said Venus of her sister. "There's so much to face when you play her. It's definitely a lot to get your mind around.

"So for me I'll be focusing on getting past the player and the fight in the final."

Serena is equally wary: "Going into this final I have nothing to lose. I feel like obviously she's (Venus) playing the best tennis at this tournament.

"I'll start with that, and then just keep positive and go with it. So I think that if I can do that, then it will be good."

Serena's semi-final win over Elena Dementieva lasted 2 hours, 49 minute, the longest semi-final at Wimbledon since 2000, when IBM started recording the length of matches. Venus blasted bast Dinara Safina in 51 minutes and lost one game.

Venus has reached the final without dropping a set and has won 34 consecutive (completed) sets since 2007. Serena is looking for her first Wimbledon trophy since 2003.

The pair will be all-business on court with prestige and a huge title again on the line.

"It's real easy to separate it (sisterhood) when you get a serve at about 127 mph and it comes back as a winner," said Venus. "You soon realise you are playing against an awesome player, and you better really get ready on your toes.

"I'm happy for her to be in the final, but I have to face her and defeat her. I don't necessarily want her to lose, but for sure I want me to win."

The series is level at 10-10 with Serena winning the last meeting in the Miami semi-finals.

Copyright DPA

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