(7-2-08)

TENNIS-WIMBLEDON
Williams sisters remain on track

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Venus and Serena Willliams are one win
away from their third showdown in the Wimbledon women's final.
Younger sister Serena won both of their previous meetings in the
final, in 2002 and '03.
Four-time champion Venus was first into the 2008 semifinals,
beating Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn (TAM'-uh-rihn
tahn-ah-SOO'-gahrn) 6-4, 6-3. The seventh seed hasn't dropped a set
all tournament headed into her final-four match against the highest
remaining seed in the ladies' draw. Number-5 Elena Dementieva
(ehl-AY'-nah deh-mehn-tee-AY'-vah) topped fellow Russian Nadia
Petrova (peh-TROH'-vah) 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 and will be playing in the
Wimbledon semifinals for the first time.
Two-time champion and sixth-seeded Serena Williams picked up
steam as her match wore on, disposing of Number-14 Agnieszka
Radwanska (ahg-nee-ESH'-kuh rahd-VAHN'-skuh) of Poland, 6-4,
6-love.
Next up for Serena is Zheng Jie (zhehng jee). The 133rd-ranked
player in the world continued her remarkable run at the All England
Club with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Nicole Vaidisova
(vay-deh-SOH'-vuh) of the Czech Republic and is the first Chinese
player to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament.
The 24-year-old Zheng is also the first female wild-card entrant
to reach the semifinals at the All England Club and just the second
at any Grand Slam.