Serena into 10th Wimbledon semifinal with straight-set win over Pavlyuchenkova

SW34 is TENNIS.com's Wimbledon blog that will provide on-site news, insight and commentary about a pair of legendary 34-year-olds, Roger Federer and Serena Williams, as they look to once again triumph at the All England Club.

LONDON—On Tuesday at Wimbledon, top seed Serena Williams served her way into the semifinals not long after her older sister, Venus, reached the same round. Venus was a winner over Yaroslava Shvedova, and Serena took out No. 21 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-4, 6-4.

“I’m excited to have been able to win that one and get through it,” the 34-year-old said. “It felt really good.”

Going into the match, Serena Williams held an obvious advantage over Pavlyuchenkova, having won all five of their encounters and only losing one set, in their very first meeting back in 2010.

Both women did well to hold serve until 4-4, when Williams stepped up to take the break for a 5-4 lead. Pavlyuchenkova didn’t help herself in that critical game, handing it over at love with a double fault.

Though the American was hoping for another quick start, Pavlyuchenkova began the set on serve and did her part to stay in the match from the onset. Williams gave the world No. 23 zero looks at a break point, holding easily to capture the first set 6-4.

Somewhat remarkably, it was Pavlyuchenkova’s first lost set of the tournament. She beat No. 11 seed Timea Bacsinskzy and No. 27 seed CoCo Vandeweghe in straight sets on her way to the quarterfinals.

The former world No. 13 has reached the quarterfinals of a major on two other occasions, but never at the All England Club. Her run this fortnight came as a surprise, given that the Russian hasn’t done very well on grass this summer, losing in the first round in both Birmingham and Eastbourne.

“I’m not supposed to say this, but really I didn't like grass at all,” she said after her fourth-round win. “Now it's kind of changing a little. In the end it's OK, the grass.  I don't mind it.

“I guess the key is, just, I wasn't really fit enough, never fit enough, to play on grass. I have never had consistency in my work or off-court … So now I'm trying to put all those pieces like puzzles together, and stay quite consistent with my work and everything outside the court. So I guess that's helping.”

The Russian brought on former ATP pro Dieter Kindlmann earlier this year, and he’s helped her put the puzzle pieces together. Kindlmann was previously a part of fellow Russian Maria Sharapova’s team.

What Pavlyuchenkova has been doing well, and continued to do well on Tuesday, is serve. A strong 5’10” frame helps in that department, and the 25-year-old held her own against the best server on the planet. Still, Williams hit 11 aces to Pavlyuchenkova’s three, and though both hit more than 70 percent of their first serves in, Williams won 80 percent of her first-serve points to Pavlyuchenkova’s 58 percent.

The American has been serving exceptionally well at Wimbledon, hitting 14 aces in a straight-set win over Svetlana Kuznetsova on Monday.

While the hype for a Venus–Serena final is picking up speed rapidly, Serena Williams did her part to stay focused on the task at hand, despite admitting that she looked at the scores during changeovers to see if her big sister had won.

“I’m just trying to win my match,” Serena said. “I knew I had a real tough opponent, as well, [in] my semifinal. One thing I’ve learned, especially this year, is to focus on the match.”

Williams may have felt somewhat equally matched in service strength, but she couldn’t have felt it in court coverage. Pavlyuchenkova is a step slower than the 21-time Grand Slam champion, something that she’s noted she needs to improve, especially on the quick grass.

The on-serve trend continued into the second set, but Williams began putting games on the board with more ease, nailing an ace to get to 2-2. Pavlyuchenkova stayed calm, something she’s been working on, to stay ahead 3-2.

The two women traded huge ground strokes and holds of serve, but Pavlyuchenkova was more susceptible to cracking.

To have any chance at evening the match, Pavlyuchenkova badly needed a break. The high-quality serving contest was very reminiscent of a men’s match, with everything hanging in the balance of break points converted.

The Russian would be coldly denied. At 4-4, mirroring the first set, Williams got her chance with two break points and took advantage of the first one to go up 5-4.

An ace on her second match point sent the 34-year-old into her 10th Wimbledon semifinal. The match would finish with Williams converting both of her break points. Pavlyuchenkova, meanwhile, didn’t even get a look at one.

Serena next faces unseeded Russian Elina Vesnina, while Venus Williams will take on Angelique Kerber. The Williams sisters last met in a Wimbledon final in 2009. Serena won that match, 7-6 (3), 6-2.

“Regardless, we’re both just happy to be in the semifinals,” Serena said. “That’s so cool. It’s great … Obviously [Venus] is such a tough opponent, and obviously I want her to win so bad. Not in the final if I’m there, but if I’m not there, I obviously want her to win.”