There are several predictions I can make with absolute certainty for Saturday's Ladies Singles final at Wimbledon.*An African-American will win it.
*It'll be played on Independence day
*The champion's last name will be Williams.
My favorite tennis playing siblings made it to the finals of the Ladies Singles earlier today but took different routes to get there.
Little Sis had to play a knockdown drag out three set semifinal match for the ages in subduing 2008 Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 8-6.
It was the longest semifinal women's match ever played in the open era at Wimbledon at two hours and 49 minutes, and Serena had to battle, claw, scrap, chase and hustle for every point. She also got some critical points that clipped the line by millimeters that were verified by the automated Hawk-Eye system.
Dementieva was considered the underdog despite having some recent success against Serena. She knocked Serena out of the Olympic singles tournament last year and had won two other recent non-Grand Slam tournament matchups with her prior to Wimbledon.She also brought her A+ game to Wimbledon as well.
But this is a Grand Slam tournament, and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is the Williams sisters home away from home.
A few hours later two time defending Wimbledon champion Big Sis destroyed Dementieva's countrywoman and world Number 1 ranked player Dinara Safina to set up an all 'Williams'-don ladies final for their fourth time in their careers.Safina was eliminated in a 6-1, 6-0 rout that only took Venus 51 minutes to complete.
It took 27 minutes before Safina even won her only game of the match and she was already trailing 5-0 in the first set.
And don't look now peeps, the Williams sisters are in the Ladies Doubles semifinals, so they may be taking another check home before their successful business trip to England is completed.
Should be a very interesting 4th of July. But as an elder sibling I'm rooting for Big Sis to take home another Venus (Williams) Rosewater dish on Saturday..
