Final thoughts
Well, so far so good. It’s going to script and an all-Williams final remains a possibility after a hard-fought victory for Venus. She had the upper hand for most of this contest, although CoCo showed what she is capable of during that first set. She bows out after a hugely successful tournament, and she’ll be back for more, no doubt about that. For Venus, her run at Melbourne Park goes on, with the tantalising possibility of an eighth grand slam title. Whether we see her this deep at a grand slam again remains to be seen, and we should try to enjoy it whilst we can.
That’s all from me, but follow the link below for Russell Jackson’s game-by-game report on the match that will complete Saturday’s final lineup.
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Williams wins the third set and the match!
Third set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 3-6 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) CoCo shows real grit as she saves two match points but she soon faces a third when a Venus backhand lands right on the baseline and she doesn’t give herself enough space to return. She saves that one too but when a fourth comes along, her time is up. Venus secures victory and will contest another grand slam final! She can barely conceal her joy as she throws her racquet away and falls to the ground as CoCo’s final shot lands out!
Third set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 3-5 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Venus’ timing is imacculate here, when at 30-30 she unleashes her 11th ace of the match. A slight blip follows as she nets her first serve but that’s as hairy as it gets and Venus hols to ramp up the pressure on CoCo. And it’s that time now where we get to say, CoCo will serve to stay in the match.
Third set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 3-4 Venus Williams (* denotes server) CoCo looks down and out after a double fault at 0-30 but she digs deep and somehow finds the resolve to get herself back into the game. She lets out a roar after winning game point, turning to her box with a clenched fist and betraying her emotions. Excellent stuff. She’s proving hard to shake.
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Third set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 2-4 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Venus keeps her cool under intense pressure – and in the face of some sporadic good net play from CoCo – to hold, serving out with an ace – her 10th of the day – to re-establish that two-game buffer.
Third set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 2-3 Venus Williams (* denotes server) Vandeweghe loses the opening two points of this game and you fear it’s slipping away from her. But, credit to the 25-year-old, she fights back to get herself into a winning position before securing the hold with a forehand winner. She’s hanging in there, but she needs a break of serve before too long.
Third set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 1-3 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) It’s a difficult one to call still. Venus has the edge and the experience but Vandeweghe has done enough already this match to unsettle the 13th seed. This game goes to plan for Williams though, as she makes a couple of volleys before CoCo hammers another far-too-powerful forehand long. And Venus opens up a two-game lead.
Third set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 1-2 Venus Williams (* denotes server) If Vandeweghe is to get back into this match, this is how to do it. A cool and collected love service game keeps her on Williams’ coattails, who still holds that break. We’re four minutes shy of two hours of play now.
Third set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 0-2 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) The volcano that is CoCo Vandeweghe is bubbling away nicely, without yet having properly blown its top. The increasingly frustrated American shouts out with some instructions for herself early this game but Venus fails to capitalise, some awful serving – and a double fault - handing CoCo two break points. She fails to make the first and when the second chance goes begging, her racquet is again bounced off the blue surface. Venus goes on to secure an important hold, and Vandeweghe has a fairly steep mountain (possibly even a volcano) to climb if she’s to get back into this one now.
Third set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 0-1 Venus Williams (* denotes server) On the telly they’re talking about the vast difference between these two players in terms of experience of these kind of grand slam situations, and clearly Venus has the upper hand in that. And so it plays out in this first game of the third set - CoCo manages to save one break point she faces, with an ace, but Venus soon has another chance and this time she takes it. Still Vandeweghe’s racquets remain intact. A few stats from the second set:
Aces: CoCo 6-9 Venus
Double faults: CoCo 6-2 Venus
First serve in %: CoCo 59-57 Venus
First serve win %: CoCo 69-78 Venus
Winners: CoCo 26-22 Venus
Unforced errors: CoCo 32-25 Venus
Williams wins the second set!
Second set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-6 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Venus looks like she’s cruising here, but she allows CoCo back into things at 30-30 after playing a baseline shot too long. Then Vandeweghe stabs a backhand past Venus, who has a chance to volley at the net but opts to let it go past her – it lands in and CoCo has a break chance. She duly wastes it by blasting a forehand out and before long Venus has a set point. But Vandeweghe isn’t going to hand it to her on a plate and she saves it with an overhead smash. She’s merely delaying the inevitable though and Venus’ eighth ace of the day brings up a second set point before a ninth seals it. We’re heading into a third set!
Second set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 2-5 Venus Williams (* denotes server) This is impressive from the younger American. Vandeweghe aces to seal this game, to love, but Venus will now serve for the set and level things up at 1-1.
Second set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 1-5 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Despite that incident at the end of the last game, it looks like Vandeweghe has not been given a warning by the chair umpire. Hmm, an interesting call. If that had been Nick Kyrgios etc... Anyway, the release of a pressure valve initially seems to work for CoCo, who gets into a position where she has three break points. Venus saves them all before she faces – and again saves – a fourth. Then, some curious serving from Venus, who follows a double fault with an ace, but despite the inconsistency she eventually holds after a game lasted aound the seven-minute mark.
Second set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 1-4 Venus Williams (* denotes server) This is a key game for Vandeweghe in the context of this set, and possibly the match, and she knows it. Still, she can’t hold, a double fault sealing her fate as Venus takes a commanding three-game lead. CoCo reacts by blasting a ball way into the sky and straight out of the stadium. This one looks like it’s heading towards a decider (without in any way wanting to tempt fate).
Second set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 1-3 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) CoCo shows a beautifully soft touch once again at 30-30 as she volleys brilliantly to bring up break-back point. Venus slams that particular door shut, and although it opens once again a point later, Venus does enough to hold, securing the game with a strong serve that Vandeweghe spoons well wide.
Second set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 1-2 Venus Williams (* denotes server) The challenge for CoCo now is to maintain her focus with one set in the bag. She wobbles here though, and you can almost see it coming as Venus breaks! On the final point, CoCo’s racquet hits the floor, not in a slamming-it-down angry teenager kind of way, she more just lets it slip out of her grip. Still, it’s a sign of her frustration.
. @CoCoVandey has her serve broken by @Venuseswilliams in the 2nd set of the women’s SF #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/mdXQlsl2g5
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2017
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Second set: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 1-1 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Venus isn’t going to lie down though, and the former world No1 responds to the disappointment of losing the opening set by securing a love-service game. She’s winning 77% of points when she gets her first serve in.
Second set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3), 1-0 Venus Williams (* denotes server) A few stats from that first set: CoCo had 17 winners to Venus’ 10 and 16 unforced errors to Venus’ 17. Vandeweghe is fashioning some great points now and she’s looks comforatable in this first game of the second set. One point in which she has Venus scrambling all over the baseline and finishes with a cute dink over the net stands out.
Vandeweghe wins the first set!
First set tie break: CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (7-3) Venus Williams Brilliant from Coco! She claims the first set as a devastating backhand return of serve down the line effectively does for Venus at 5-2. That brings up four set points, and she only wastes one – with a rushing forehand into the net – before she seals the deal when a Venus backhand goes awry. Not much between the pair of them that set, but CoCo stepped up during the tie-break.
First set tie-break: *CoCo Vandeweghe 6-6 Venus Williams (* denotes server) Venus responds with a magnificent winner of her own before she levels at 2-2. But she then lets herself down with a wayward sitting forehand, in that particular style of hers, and CoCo goes on to fashion a lovely point, which she wins at the net with a lovely deft volley that Venus can’t return in. 4-2 CoCo.
First set tie-break: *CoCo Vandeweghe 6-6 Venus Williams (* denotes server) CoCo draws first blood with another winner and this is a fine time for her to bring to hit her straps in the shot-making department. But she’s a little over-eager on the next point as she runs into a shot and ends up pinging it way out. 2-0 CoCo.
First set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 6-6 Venus Williams (* denotes server) It’s clenched fist and “c’mon!” time as Vandeweghe goes crosscourt and lands a shot just in to reach game point. She follows it up with a marvellous backhand winner and this first set will be decided by a tie-break.
First set: CoCo Vandeweghe 5-6 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) You’d think Venus has been in these big-time pressure situations before, the way she deals with this. There’s a moment when she’s pegged back to 30-30 that you think CoCo could take advantage, but Venus turns to her serve and launches a big one that Vandeweghe cannot return. And then CoCo airswings on another thundering serve as Venus heaps the pressure onto her opponent.
An email! “I’m thinking Coco will cause another upset here - I say Go-Co,” writes Andrew Benton. I see what you’ve done there, Andrew, and I like it.
First set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 5-5 Venus Williams (* denotes server) Time now for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it service game from CoCo. She holds, and the tension rises as we approach the conclusion of this first set. I suppose now would be a pretty decent time to break serve.
First set: CoCo Vandeweghe 4-5 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Williams does well to quash that mini-revival, that could have been so dangerous, and she manages to keep Vandeweghe at bay this game. At one point, a frustrated Coco responds to a poor shot with some choice words for herself (nothing vulgar, just a loud “make the ball, you’ve got plenty of time!”).
Over on Court 8, Australian Paralympian Dylan Alcott has just beaten Britain’s Andy Lapthorn 6-4, 6-1 in the quad wheelchair singles. And Alcott’s incredible run of form continues.
First set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 4-4Venus Williams (* denotes server) Aha! Here we go then. CoCo finally looks comfortable out there, claiming her service game to love, and sealing it with a well-worked point that ends with her firing a winner past a wrong-footed Venus.
First set: CoCo Vandeweghe 3-4 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Venus noses ahead once again with a comfortable hold. These two have played each other just once before, by the way, in Rome last year. Venus won that one, 6-4, 6-3.
First set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 3-3 Venus Williams (* denotes server) CoCo’s still struggling on her first serve – she ends this game at 50% – and she throws in another double fault along the way. Yet she still manages to hold. An observation: CoCo appears to have been a bit heavy-handed on several shots. Not sure if that’s nerves or an attempt to out-muscle Venus, but either way, it’s not doing her any favours.
First set: CoCo Vandeweghe 2-3 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) No messing about here as Venus races to her third game of this third set. She’s currently winning 73% of her first service points, although she is only at 55% on that first serve so far.
First set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 2-2 Venus Williams (* denotes server) Vandeweghe starts this game much better and takes a 30-0 lead but at 15-30 she can only find the net. She gives a lingering and withering look at where her shot ended up, and you suddenly cannot help but fear for the safety of her racquet. She controls her emotions though and, like Venus earlier, goes on to secure her first hold of the match.
First set: CoCo Vandeweghe 1-2 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) Venus goes on the attack with her backhand now, opening up a 30-0 lead with a fantastic shot before going on to hold serve for the first time this match, to love. A comfortable game for the 13th seed. How will CoCo respond?
First set: *CoCo Vandeweghe 1-1 Venus Williams (* denotes server) Vandewegh, whose serve is one of her real strengths, gives an indication of what she’s capable of with the first ace of the contest at 30-30, but it’s not at all plain sailing for her from that point on. Venus responds on the next point with a wonderful forehand winner to bring up deuce. The 36-year-old repeats the feat a point later and then an even better shot, on the stretch out wide, brings gasps from the crowd and her first break opportunity. CoCo double faults to hand Venus the break on a plate – she challenges the call, but it’s the correct one, by a matter of millimetres. Back on serve.
First set: CoCo Vandeweghe 1-0 Venus Williams* (* denotes server) OK, here we go! The 17th seeded Williams kicks proceedings off on a cool Melbourne day – it’s around the 18 degree mark and excellent tennis conditions. Her first serve hits the net, as does her first return – and that’s not an ideal start. The players then trade points before it gets worse for Venus – she can’t shake CoCo, who brings up three break chances, but cannot convert any of them. But, finally, on the fourth, she gets up and running as Venus hits the ball out. That’s a scrappy start for the older of the two, but a fine one for Coco, who draws first blood.
Plenty of Australian flags around Melbourne Park today, given it’s 26 January and all. Already we’ve seen the Roulettes do a fly past, and there will be more celebrations/interruptions to play later in the day.
The American success story of this Open has been an intriguing one. With a US player guaranteed to contest the final, Serena, who’s up after her sister on centre, can make it an all-American affair.
The last time 3 American women were in the semifinals at the #ausopen?
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2017
2001.
Feat. @JenCapriati, @Venuseswilliams & @LDavenport76. pic.twitter.com/0rS6SL8Ovs
A young girl named Sarah tosses the coin today. CoCo wins it and opts to receive first. The players pose for a quick pic with Sarah and then they’re off to opposite ends of Rod Laver Arena to begin their warmups.
Weather update: there were a few spots of rain earlier today which briefly disrupted the Bryan brothers’ doubles match with Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. But at the time of writing it’s holding off.
The players are walking through the tunnel of champions and will be out on court shortly. Bear with me. Both look focused, as you’d expect. CoCo emerges onto court to a warm reception, followed by Venus, for whom the cheers turn to screams. There’s a crowd favourite out there today.
Preamble
On the face of it, there is much that separates these two players. Eleven years in age for a start. Then there are the seven grand slam titles 36-year-old Venus Williams has collected over her career – plus 49 WTA singles titles, to CoCo Vandeweghe’s two. Venus also has 22 doubles titles to her name; CoCo, 25, has two. And Venus has a cool $32m or so more in prize money than her opponent, an astonishing figure that serves to highlight the success she has enjoyed since making her professional debut in 1994.
One is in the twilight of her tennis career (at least she should be), but is enjoying another swansong in Melbourne, the other is the brash young-ish pretender, with a bright future in the game still ahead of her. The differences between them could not be more stark. Yet when the pair meet on Rod Laver Arena today, in the first women’s semi-final of the 2017 tournament, career stats, facts and figures go out of the window, and what we actually have is a finely balanced match-up that either player is capable of winning.
Williams’ run to this point has been relatively straightforward. Her five victims have included just one seeded player – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – and the American is yet to be inconvenienced by a third set. Vandeweghe’s path to the final four has, on the other hand, been somewhat trickier, although you wouldn’t believe it the way she has dispatched with three top 15 seeds (Roberta Vinci, 15, Angelique Kerber, 1, and Garbiñe Muguruza, 7), plus Eugenie Bouchard and Pauline Parmentier. If she can add the scalp of Williams – and her form suggests she is more than capable of doing so – it would be quite some tournament.
A win for Venus would be no less remarkable. And not just because of the unlikelihood of a 36-year-old contesting a grand slam final – it would mean there remains a very real chance that she will contest a grand slam final at the age of 36 against her sister, Serena. And what a story that would be.
We’ll find out how the narrative will shape soon enough. We have a scheduled start of 2pm local time. That’s 10pm in New York, 3am in London. Do get in touch if you feel compelled to get anything tennis-related off your chest: the email is mike.hytner@theguardian.com and the Twitter is @mike_hytner. I’m better at email, if I’m being honest.
Mike will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Stephanie Myles on today’s matchup:
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