Live Wimbledon Blog / Matthew Walton / 01 July 2008 / Leave a comment

No Murraymania today but four fantastic quarter-finals in the women's draw to look forward to as a Williams/Williams final looms. "Magical" Matthew Walton is the man in the hotseat today. Email your comments to sw19betfairblogger@hotmail.co.uk

And that's it for the day. The SF line-up is complete as Elena Dementieva will play Venus and Jie Zheng will play Serena. These matches taking place on Thursday.

Tomorrow it's the return of Murray, Federer, Nadal et al for QF's day on the men's side of the draw. My thanks for your comments, do join us tomorrow for a fascinating day's action, all blogged for you here on Betfair.

17.00 - Declan P. asks about the best player I've seen today. Would have to be Serena, by a mile. She's played powerful and relatively error free tennis to dominate a useful looking opponent. Venus was very hit and miss and Dementieva will have to step up on the positive thinking to progress. Zheng and Vaidisova look a little short of class. I'd fancy Serena to beat Venus in the final ...

Right on cue Serena wins 6-4 6-0 and makes it into the SF's where it looks like she'll play Zheng who is within touching distance as well, it's now 5-1 to her in the third set. Make that 6-1!

16.50 - double-break for Serena on Centre and Radwanska is looking down the barrel here, still a promising effort by the Pole thus far and one for your notebooks. It's 6-4 4-0 for Williams.

Has the telling blow been made on Court 1? Zheng breaks for 3-1. If she can just hold for 4-1 then Vaidisova will have a mountain to climb. Touch of the Petrova's!

16.40 - first set to Serena 6-4 but a competitive workout for sure, Radwanska has been no push-over. However, Williams makes possibly the killer-blow to break in the first game of the second set.

Zheng and Vaidisova are 1-1 in their decider on Court 1.

16.30 - Serena breaks again to lead 4-3 and hovers around [1.15] then holds for a 5-3 first set lead. It's her power which the Pole has little answer to but at least she holds her own serve to make Serena serve for the set at 5-4.

On Court 1, Vaidisova bravely holds to stay in the match at 5-5 in the second set with Zheng, then breaks Zheng to give herself a chance to level the match. She serves at 6-5 and takes it! We're one set all and Vaidisova who was traded at [4.80] is now the [1.81] jollly!

16.20 - Radwanska breaks back for 2-2, game on! Trading around [4.2] I can see a few people having a dart at this girl. She certainly doesn't seem over-awed. Holds for 3-2 and Williams will have to play well here to win. Serena holds herself for 3-3.

Zheng holds serve for 5-4 and now Vaidisova serves to stay in that match.

16.10 - Vaidisova finally makes the break points tell. She breaks Zheng to lead 3-2 in the second set ... only to be broken straight back! It's 6-2 3-3 Zheng serving.

Serena and Radwanska are underway on Centre. They share the first two games before Serena breaks to lead 2-1. However, it's clear the Pole is no forelorn hope.

16.00 - next up on Centre is Serena Williams against Agnieszka Radwanska, they've played once before and Serena won (clay, Berlin). However, the Pole just won Eastbourne so she's got some form on the green stuff.

On Court 1, Vaidisova has had more break points than Zheng (6 to 4) but hasn't taken any. It's 2-2 in the second set as the Chinese girl trades at [1.40], Vaidisova [3.3].

15.50 - G-S-M to Dementieva. Only about an hour later than it should have been. She wins 6-1 6-7 6-3 after doing her best to 'do a Gasquet'. The No.5 seed will now play Venus in the SF's on Thursday.

Zheng takes the first set 6-2 on Court 1 and then holds for 1-0 in the second. Time for Nicole to get her skates on or this match will slip away from her.

15.40 - John K. and Andy H. both ask how I think Demetieva would fare against Venus in the SF's. She must have a decent shot is the answer. I know Venus holds a 5:2 advantage on past meetings but she didn't look unbeatable today and Dementieva has more power and athletic ability than Tanasugarn. Not a shoo-in.

Petrova holds for 4-2 but Dementieva holds, just about, for 5-2. Her problem with Venus might be mental, if she gets a chance to win has she got the 'Slazengers' to take it.

Zheng keeps her nose in front of Vaidisova. It's now 5-2 to the Chinese girl but Vaidisova is no forlorn hope at [2.58].

15.30 - fair play to Dementieva. She could have fallen apart after that second set but she's picked herself up, mentally, to race to a 4-0 lead in the decider. Then again, she's just been broken for 4-1. Surely Petrova can't save it from here?

Vaidisova gets on the board on Court 1 but it's still Zheng who has the edge in that match. She leads 3-1 and then has another easy hold to go 4-1 up before Vaidisova closes the gap again at 4-2. Still a break down.

15.20 - early break for Zheng to lead 2-0. Pre-match she was [2.18] and after two games she's into [1.52]. Nothing like a measured approach from the backers! Vaidisova blows three break points and now it's 3-0 Zheng.

Dementieva breaks for 2-0 in the third set, then holds for 3-0. Was Petrova's comeback all in vain?

15.10 - Next up on Court 1 it's Jie Zheng against the No.18 seed, Nicole Vaidisova. These two have met twice before, Vaidisova has won them both. The last meeting was back in 2006. Zheng serves first and holds for 1-0.

On Centre, poor Elena Dementieva. She should have her feet up by now, quietly slurping a Pimms & Lemonade instead she's in a war with Petrova. Dementieva holds for 1-0 in the decider but can you risk her at [1.58]?

15.00 - Dementieva completely losing the plot on Centre. She led 6-1 5-1 and now it's one set all. The No.5 seed had match points at 6-4 in the tie-break and missed them both. Petrova has been traded at [200.00] and Dementieva for big money at [1.01] and now it's a 50/50 match!!!

On Court 1, Venus is through but a pretty poor standard of performance from such a quality player. Tanasugarn put up a decent fight but just came up short. Williams wins 6-4 6-3.

14.50 - Petrova holds for 6-5. Five games on the spin and Dementieva now has to hold for a tie-break. That wasn't in the script. She goes to 40-0 then back to deuce before holding to make it 6-6. Could we be heading for a deciding set?

Venus holds for 5-3 but it's another struggle for the American. Tanasugarn serves to stay in the match.

14.40 - Mark S. questions my apparent 'lack of credit' to Ms. Williams. My point is that both she and her sister might well be fantastic athletes, and created a great surge of interest in the women's game, but neither possess great tennis grace or guile. To my eye, their style is crude but effective. That's putting it a bit harshly I know but hopefully you get my drift.

Hello!! What's this on Centre? It's now 5-5 in the second set as Petrova fights back. She has been traded at [200.00] for this match ... oh dear! She's now into [4.3].

Tanasugarn has two break points for 3-3 in the second but Venus powers her way back to maintain the break at 4-2.

14.30 - Petrova holds serve, no mean achievement for her today, to keep the match alive at 5-2 in the second set. The she breaks to bring it back to 3-5. A case of what might of been or the start of a Murray-esque recovery. We shall see.

Venus still holds sway on Court 1. The first set was a close run thing but Tanasugarn has just fallen a fraction off the pace to allow Williams to edge ahead. However, I return to my earlier point, a better player than the Thai would have had the American in all sorts of trouble. This hasn't been an impressive performance at all.

14.20 - Dementieva gets the double-break in the second to lead 6-1 4-1 and this match looks all but over as Petrova is offering little resistance. Now it's 5-1 ... time to get your coat Nadia.

Meanwhile on Court 1, Venus breaks Tanasugarn to lead 6-4 1-0 and this match is also starting to look a tad terminal for the diminutive Thai. More so as she easily holds to love for 2-0.

14.10 - Paul J. writes that such uncompetitive fare is poor for the QF's of a Slam. Fair point, really. There does seem to be a slight vacuum in the women's game with Henin, Davenport, Hingis, Pierce etc missing. Does have the feel of the Russian National Grass Court Championships! Mind you, it was the US version for long enough!

Venus falls over the line to make it 6-4 and take the first set. Pretty unconvincing stuff by the No.7 seed. A better player would have her in trouble. Still, the [1.07] appears the only option. Over on Centre it's 3-1 Dementieva and she leads by a set to love.

14.00 - Dementieva breaks in the first game of the second set to lead 6-1 1-0. It's now a long way back for Petrova who looked good for the first 5 or 6 minutes of this match but has steadily fallen apart to trade as big as [8.6].

Venus holds for 5-3 then Tansugarn (clearly the fans' favourite in this match) struggles to hold serve ... and finally does for 5-4. Venus now serves for the first set.

13.50 - a marathon sixth game on Court 1. Tanasugarn has several chances to break serve but misses the lot. Venus moves to 4-2 before Tanasugarn manages a crucial hold to keep it at 4-3. Venus still has the break.

Dementieva gets the double-break on Centre. She leads 5-1 and holds to take the first set 6-1. Petrova is friendless, spiking at [6.4]. However, she still seems worth a dart at such a price. This match could easily be a lot closer.

13.40 - another break on Court 1 sees Venus sneak ahead 3-2 with a break but Tansugarn is definitely a feisty opponent. Clearly a fighter.

Dementieva breaks to 15 for a 3-1 lead in the first. Petrova hits [4.00] which still seems big as this match, on the stats, is a close one.

13.30 - Petrova trails 0-40 on serve to level at deuce, Dementieva misses two break points and the No.21 seed eventually holds for 1-1. Then Petrova has a three break points and blows them as Dementieva holds for 2-1, on serve. This match could be close.

On Court 1, Tanasugarn is finding Venus a handful. She saves one break point at 15-40 but Venus breaks her on the net point to lead 2-1 with the break. Should have taken that [1.18] while you had the chance ... or should you as Tanasugarn breaks back for 2-2.

13.20 - Dementieva makes slightly heavy weather of the first game on Centre but holds to lead 1-0. Tanasugarn serves on Court 1, leads 40-0, wobbles but holds to 30. Her first Slam QF aged 31 as the TV informs us, the last person you'd want to play would be Venus!

13.10 - On centre Dementieva plays Petrova. The No.5 seed trails her opponent 4:7 on past meetings and is 0:2 on grass (Petrova trounced Dementieva here in 2000 6-1 6-1). So why is she the [1.68] favourite? Petrova is the strict form call at [2.46].

On Court 1, Venus leads Tanasugarn 6:0 and trades around [1.18], arguably a fair price for a proven winner. After all, what beat Jankovic in the last round? Injury or the Thai player's brilliance?

13.00 - Good afternoon everybody .... It's been something of a strange tournament for the women. The first time in the Open era that all of the top four seeds has failed to make it to the QF's. Mind you, in Ivanovic, Jankovic, Sharapova and Kuznetsova have we ever had a less impressive bunch of top seeds for a Slam? By all means send your answers over on an e-postcard to sw19betfairblogger@hotmail.co.uk

No doubt music to the ears of the Williams sisters. They have won 6 of the 8 titles since 2000 (Venus 4, Serena 2) and met each other in the finals of 2002 and 2003, both of which Venus won. It's odds-on they will meet up again come Saturday but lets's get today's action out of the way first.

We start on Centre with Dementieva against Petrova and on Court 1 it's Venus taking on Tamarine Tanasugarn ...

Tags: tennis bets, Venus Wilaims, women's tennis