Rock-solid Serena Blasts Champion Kvitova Off Court

Four-time Wimbledon winner Serena Williams reached the semi-finals at the All England Club on Tuesday with a 6-3, 7-5 defeat of defending champion Petra Kvitova.

The US sixth seed brought all her experience to bear as she punished the Czech title-holder for missing a chance to take the second set.

The 30-year-old came through her quarter-final in an hour and 24 minutes under the Centre Court roof.

She faces either Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, the Belarusian second seed, or in-form unseeded Austrian Tamira Paszek in the semis.

“She’s been playing so well on grass, hasn’t lost since last year, so that was tough,” Williams said of Kvitova.

“I have absolutely nothing to lose so it’s really fun. I’m having the time of my life out here and enjoying every moment. It’s exciting.

However, Serena knows she will have to step up another gear in the semi-finals.

“I’m going to have to if I want to win the title. There’s a lot of people vying for it still,” she added.

She said a fifth Wimbledon singles title was “definitely something that I’ve thought about.”

It is only the second time she has reached a Grand Slam semi-final since winning the 2010 Wimbledon title.

Williams had won her previous two encounters with Kvitova, both in 2010, knocking the 22-year-old left-hander out of the Australian Open second round and the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Culled from PUNCH.