Venus and Serena Williams will meet in the final of the Australian Open after advancing through their semi-finals in spectacular fashion.
Serena Williams defeated Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets. (6-2, 6-1) and she'll now be chasing an Open-era record of 23 Grand Slam singles titles. But she’ll have to defeat her older sister Venus, the pair last’s final match-up was Wimbeldon in 2009.
Serena says there’ll be no losers in the match.
“After everything that Venus has been through with her illness and stuff, I just can't help but feel like it's a win-win situation for me. I was there for the whole time. We lived together. I know what she went through. It's the one time that I really genuinely feel like no matter what happens, I can't lose, she can't lose. It's going to be a great situation.”
Venus’s semi-final victory came when she defeated fellow American Coco Vandeweghe in three sets. (6-7, 6-2, 6-3) She is now hoping for an eighth major title win; and her first Australian Open.
She says there’ll be nothing strange facing Serena in the final.
“When I'm playing on the court with her, I think I'm playing, like, the best competitor in the game. I don't think I'm chump change either, you know. I can compete against any odds. No matter what, I get out there and I compete. So it's like two players who really, really can compete, then also they can play tennis. Then, okay, won't be an easy match. It's like I know that it won't be easy. You have to control yourself, then you also have to hopefully put your opponent in a box. This opponent is your sister, and she's super awesome..”
17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is also through to the final, after defeating compatriot Stan Wawrinka in a three-hour, five-set battle. (7-5, 6-3, 1-6 4-6 6-3)
Federer is through to his 28th Grand Slam final; his sixth Australian Open final.
He says he’ll give it his all on Sunday.
“I'll leave all the energy here in Australia, and then I can relax after here. It's gone much better than I thought it would. That's also what I was telling myself in the fifth set. I was talking to myself, saying like, Just relax, man. The comeback is so great already. Let it fly off your racquet and just see what happens. I think that's the mindset I got to have, as well, in the finals. Sort of a nothing-to-lose mentality. It's been nice these last six matches to have that mentality. It worked very well so I'll keep that up.”
After the loss Wawrinka spoke of his key break point error but says the overall match performance mattered.
“I know even if I got the break at that moment, you don't know what is happen after. Maybe I can completely choke. Maybe he can break back. I know in that match, a few points can change the match. Also was few moments in the match that could change. The breakpoint I have 5-5 in the first set. The game I did to get broken in the second, went completely too fast. I think the first breakpoint at 1-1 was really important.”
TODAY’s MATCHES
Today’s day 12 action will decide the final spot in the men’s final, when Rafael Nadal meets Grigor Dimitrov.
In the mixed doubles’ semifinals, Australians Sam Stosur and Sam Groth will take on Sania Mirza from India and Ivan Dodig from Croatia, while Elina Svitolina and Australian Chris Guccione will face Abigail Spears and Juan Sebastian Cabal.
And the women’s doubles final will feature Andrea Hlavackova and Shuai Peng face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.
