[8] Venus Williams (USA) vs. [96] Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
The last time Venus Williams was in the semifinals of a Major was 2010 at the US Open. At 36 years of age she joins Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King as the oldest players to get to the semifinals of a Major. Williams started slow and looked really sluggish. She went down an early break but broke back and it went to a tiebreak. Again it looked like Shvedova would take it, but Williams dug deep, recognizing that she may never get this opportunity again or perhaps she would not be able to come back in three sets if she lost the first set. Whatever the motivating factor(s), Williams found a way to fight back in the tiebreak. Perhaps Shvedova got tight in the tiebreak; perhaps Williams simply elevated her game. The five time Wimbledon champion relied on her experience to get her to the finish line. She focused on the critical points and won 7-6(5), 6-2. Can Venus Williams go all the way to the final? Her opponent is the dangerous Angelique Kerber. Kerber leads their head-to-head 3:2. Kerber won their only meeting on grass and Kerber has recent memories of being a Major Champion. We are rooting for big sister to get to the semifinals.
I am rooting for Venus as well. I am not sure what inspired her to perform as she has done so far, but it worked. I am remaining hopeful that she will do it again and again.