Wimbledon, England
She is remarkable, no matter what happens at Wimbledon in Saturday’s women’s final. Venus Williams defies all odds. She shouldn’t be this fast at age 37. She shouldn’t react so quickly to her opponent’s serves, and somehow slug them as hard as she used to, if not harder. Her second serve, improbably, is at its best—both faster now, and more accurate. And she’s one match from winning her sixth career Wimbledon, long after the time—2012 to be exact—that people thought she was finished.
Williams advanced to the final on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory against British star Johanna Konta, age 26. On Saturday she’ll play the Wimbledon final against Garbiñe Muguruza, who pummeled Magdalena Rybarikova, a surprise semifinalist, 6-1, 6-1.
This is Williams’s 20th year at Wimbledon. She has won five singles titles and six doubles titles, all with her sister Serena. Venus would have won even more in singles if not for her sister, who beat Venus three times in Wimbledon finals. Serena is home for her pregnancy and skipping the tournament. Venus, now alone, has shined—and thought about Serena a lot.
“I miss her so much,” Venus said. “I try to take the same courage on the court that she would have. I did think of that. I tried to do the things she would do. I don’t know that I play exactly the same way she does. But I really tried to be inspired by it.”
Venus has improved in each match and she’s taking more risks on her second serve by hitting it harder and closer to the lines. This saved her on a crucial break point late in the first set against Konta, who couldn’t return the bullet. Williams went on to win that set and took a lead early in the second. She never looked back. In her interview after the victory, she sounded determined.
“I have one more match that I’d like to be the winner of,” she said. “I have to go out there and take it.”
Since at least 2011 Williams has suffered from Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can’t be cured. Williams’s coach, David Witt, said at first she didn’t know what would work in terms of caring for her as much as possible. Now, though, Williams has consistency.
“No one really knew what the disease was and she learned about it,” Witt said. “You know obviously you can manage it and still be healthy, and be strong and play. And that’s what she’s doing.”
Williams will need all her energy in the final against Muguruza, who has been hitting hard and consistent shots in every match. None of her wins were more impressive than her three-set, fourth-round victory against the speedy Angelique Kerber, the #1 seed. In her Thursday’s semifinal, she was dominant. Muguruza, who beat Serena in the French Open final last year, beat Venus on clay this season in three sets. Williams has won the other three matches they have played. She said she would take advice from her sister, who lost to Muguruza in last year’s French Open final.
“I definitely will ask her,” Venus said. “I’m sure she’s going to give me hopefully some things that will make a difference for me in the match.”
