Venus, Serena set up Wimbledon showdown

Serena reached her fifth final with a 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 8-6 win over Elena Dementieva where she saved a match point in the longest women's semi-final in the tournament's history.

The American second seed's two hour 49 minute victory went a long way to restoring some desperately-needed credibility to the women's game.

But Russian top seed and world number one Dinara Safina then suffered a spectacular Centre Court meltdown when five-time champion Venus coasted to an embarrassing 6-1, 6-0 victory in just 51 minutes.

It was the most one-sided women's semi-final in 40 years with Safina guilty of 16 unforced errors compared to one for the champion.

Venus, who beat Serena in the 2008 final, will be playing in her eighth Wimbledon title match.

"It's my eighth final here and it's a dream to be able to have the opportunity to hold the trophy again" said Venus.

Venus 'too good' on grass

"Dinara is a talented player but I have more experience on Centre Court and that helped a lot. It's so exciting to play Serena again, that will be the hard part."

The defeat for the Russian top seed will raise more questions over her status as the world's top player especially when she has still to win a Grand Slam title.

The Williams sisters have 17 majors between them.

"Venus is just too good on grass," admitted Safina who will remain the world number one regardless of the outcome of Saturday's final. 

"This is not my favourite surface. It's disappointing to finish in less than one hour and win only one game.

"She gave me a good lesson today but we only play two tournaments a year on grass. I tried to go for my shots and I like to build points. She can hit winners straightaway."

Two-time champion Serena praised Dementieva who fell in the semi-finals for the second successive year.

Match point missed

"It was really tough. Elena has been playing so well," said Serena, who saved match point at 4-5 in the final set.

"At match point I just thought it's my serve, just stay calm and think positive."

Olympic champion Dementieva was left to regret her missed match point.

With Williams approaching the net, the Russian went cross-court, rather than down the line, and the American gleefully accepted her opportunity with a simple saving backhand.

"That's my only regret. I should have taken more of a risk by going down the line," said the 27-year-old Dementieva.

Dementieva defied predictions of a one-sided encounter by breaking the American in the first game although Williams hit straight back.

The Russian bravely fought off three break points in the eighth game before going on to dominate the tie-break despite a nervous double fault on the first of three set points.

Fifth final for Serena Williams

Williams, stung by the Russian's all-out assault, broke straightaway in the second set and was quickly 2-0 ahead. But Dementieva refused to yield and broke back to love in the sixth game for 3-3.

Williams, bidding to reach a fifth Wimbledon final, fought off two break points in the eighth game, but nipped ahead on a break to 6-5 when the American successfully challenged a ball which had been called good by the linesman.

Dementieva wasted four break points in the 12th game and was made to pay when Williams sent down a 12th ace to level the contest.

The Russian blonde broke a weary-looking Williams to lead 3-1 in the decider, but handed the advantage straight back with a tense service game.

Williams, with the experience of having won 10 Grand Slam titles in her career, saved a match point in the 10th game with a backhand volley.

The 2002 and 2003 champion capitalised on her escape by breaking to lead 7-6 and took the match when Dementieva pushed a return wide.