Sorority

A Williams victory. I told you so, didn't I?

*

Okay, I'm finished attempting to be funny now, due to obvious failure.

*

This was always going to be both a very interesting and a very boring match. I'm not a huge fan of the Williams-style power game - I prefer the game that Hingis used to play, where it was all about cunning and placement. Not that Venus and Serena don't have those things, but let's face it: a lot of their prowess comes from the fact that you don't want to get in the way of the ball when they hit it.

*

The power game lends itself to boring tennis, which is why Venus and Serena are sometimes a little dull to watch. I'm not saying that they don't have excellent tennis IQs or anything like that (just to clarify) but sometimes it can get a bit boring, watching these mini rallies where they just about break the other girl's arm. But Venus and Serena have such similar games that watching them play each other is a whole different story. It's like watching a mirror sometimes.

*

If I had to pick one and say 'this Williams is the superior Williams' I would probably pick Serena. She seems to have the tiniest bit more variety - she changes it up more than Venus. But Venus is on the whole the steadier of the two - she makes less errors and goes for less winners (comparatively.) And that was why she won today.

*

She and Serena understand each other so well that there was almost a psychic level to the match - they could pick which way the other one was going to go on volleys and suchlike and they were there and waiting many more times than in an ordinary match. It was a bit disappointing that Serena couldn't pull out that first set, because if the match had gone into a third I think it would have been anyone's game. But you can't take this one away from Venus. She played sensible tennis, steady tennis, smart tennis, and as a reward, she held up the Venus Rosewater trophy for the fifth time.

*

And five Wimbledons is quite an achievement. Ask Roger Federer. Of course, six is even better.

*

And then the Williams girls went on to win the doubles, giving them pretty much a clean sweep. I mean, there's still mixed doubles for one other girl on the tour to get a trophy, but as far as the women go, this has been a Williams Wimbledon (tm.) It was really interesting seeing all the seeds getting knocked out early and stuff, but if you look at the run Venus and Serena had through the tournament, they didn't actually face any of the top, top girls until they got to the final. Serena took out Agnieszka Radwanska (a player still on the rise) and Amelie Mauresmo (a player falling down.) Venus beat Elena Dementieva (fairy floss serve) but didn't face another seed at all before the final. What would have happened, I wonder, if the Ivanovics and Sharapovas had played tighter and made it into the second week? What result would we have seen then?

*

The fact that they didn't only further proves that the Williams girls deserved their victories - but even if they had, I don't know what good it would have done. Can you see Jankovic, with her injuries, getting through Venus? Ivanovic, for all her power, outhitting Serena? Not on grass, my friends, not on grass.

*

I've said before that I think claiming the Williams girls would be #1 and #2 if they committed a bit more to tennis is very unfair, and I stand by that. But at Wimbledon, in these two weeks, I think the story is a bit different. Seven out of the last nine years, a Williams has won Wimbledon - and even in 2004, when Sharapova won it, Serena was in the final. Three of those nine years, both Williams girls have come through the draw to the final. And that's not even mentioning the doubles...

*

It must have been interesting being a fly on the wall in the Williams house yesterday and today. By all accounts, Venus and Serena do just about everything together. I wonder if that changed at all? Did they sit and watch a movie together, or talk doubles tactics? Or did they deliberately do their own things?

*

Serena seemed very annoyed that she didn't win. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Venus had ever beaten her on grass before, and this was the first time. She insisted repeatedly that Venus was just another opponent, and she left it all on the court, ra ra ra. Venus on the other hand, was all concerned about Serena's feelings when she won, because Serena lost, etc etc etc. I wonder... do you think they would be saying the opposite things if Serena had won and Venus had lost? Victory can afford to be magnanimous.

*

Note how I haven't talked about men's tennis yet. How good am I? And I'm not going to... too much. Today belongs to the Williams sisters. But I will say this: go Roger! If Venus can make it five, you can make it six, baby... and remember, I predicted THREE DAMN SETS - so make me look good, please!

*

I believe in the Mighty Fed. I believe. And I know the Mighty Fed believes in the Mighty Fed too, and that can never be bad.

*

Two last things: big congratulations to Daniel Nestor, who now owns a career Grand Slam in doubles after partnering Nenad Zimonjic to the final!

*

And secondly: Laura Robson, you may have won junior Wimbledon, but I saw Marat Safin first.

*

*

Wimbledon Results - Day #12

*

Women's Draw

*

Venus Williams def. Serena Williams, 7-5 6-4