Williams serves notice of intent

TENNIS WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONHIPS:ASIDE FROM the main act Serena Williams, Centre Court had everything yesterday but household names; a 20-year-old Czech, a 22-year-old Bulgarian and a 25-year-old Russian. Of that mix, it is the Russian Vera Zvonareva against the American in tomorrow's Wimbledon final.

It’s an apt meeting, this week being one where spy stories threaten Soviet-American relations. Apart from playing tennis, Zvonareva is studying for a Masters degree in the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia. The plot thickens. Is there to be one final twist in this Wimbledon championship?

Ranked 21 in the world, Zvonareva defeated the 82nd-ranked Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, with Williams having to fight over two hard sets against Petra Kvitova, her clubbing serve too much for a fearlessly aggressive Czech player, the youngest to make a Grand Slam semi-final this year.

After a tournament in which rank and reputation meant little, the numbers finally crunched the right way one match away from the crown.

It has been a long grind back to fitness for Zvonareva, who spent time in Amsterdam with Dutch soccer player Robin Van Persie, both of them recovering from operations at the same time.

Zvonareva was in the Netherlands with an ankle problem that forced her ranking to fall from fifth in the world on February of last year to its current 21.

She was also seen as mentally frail but when she dropped the first set to Pironkova yesterday after just one break of serve, she stepped up rather than shrank away. In the second set Zvonareva got nearer to her opponent’s tempo and a break looked inevitable. It came at 4-2, the Russian taking the set 6-3.

From there on she dominated as she raced to 5-1 lead in the third set to claim a place in her first Grand Slam final.

“I always believe in myself,” she said when the Williams name was mentioned. “If I play my best tennis, I can beat anyone on the other side of the net.”

And that’s what Williams would think too. She has said it often enough, although after walking off court yesterday she was alarmingly candid about her state of mind last week. She admitted to being surprised about still being here.

That’s not the Serena Centre Court has come to know and respect for iron clad views about her own soaring ability, especially on grass. But the self-proclaimed 28-year-old veteran was forced to bring her best serving game to tame the dauntless aggression and awkward lefty play of Kvitova.

The first set marginally fell her way on a tiebreak as Kvitova set the agenda on points almost as much as Williams. She broke the top seed and served for 4-2 but the three-times Wimbledon champion responded, her serve digging her out more than anything.

She is now on 80 aces for the championship, the highest total ever recorded and topping her previous mark of 72. In her doubles match with Venus, second with 30 aces, she had her shoulder taped.

“Yeah, I hit too many aces so . . . It’s just really weird. I’m really excited. But it’s just really cool,” she explained. “Several years ago when I would be down Love-40, I would be able to serve some great shots and it would really bring me back into the game. I think I’ve always relied on my serve to be strong.”

When the tiebreak arrived Williams shot to 4-0, far too generous a lead for Kvitova to give. From there on a sense of inevitability set in. In their silence the crowd sensed it. She broke the Czech for 3-2 in the second set. Against a champion like Williams a set and a break down is going nowhere and after an hour and 35 minutes, the defending champion had closed the deal 7-6(5), 6-2.

“I try not to worry too much out there. It’s not the time,” said Williams of the tricky first set. “I’m still hoping to peak in the final. I won’t know until I play.”

For Williams a Centre Court final is like a stroll in her front room. For, Zvonareva, the student from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it’s her chance to rule the world.