It’s the expected versus the unexpected in the 2008 Wimbledon semis. The pairings serve are an appropriate microcosm for the tournament as a whole, where early round chaos was followed by a return to order in the second week of the event.
Men's Semifinal: Federer vs. Safin
Looking for a sixth consecutive title, did anyone doubt that defending champion Roger Federer would be around for the semifinals? Standing in his way is the resurgent Marat Safin, the man with talent enough to have been one of Federer's main rivals were it not for his complete lack of mental stability. This is the first time Safin has advanced to the Wimbledon semis and he has done so by rediscovering the power game that won him two Slam titles. Federer knows all-too-well that an in-form Marat is as big a threat as any the men's game has to offer, but the world's #1 should ultimately prevail on the grass.
Men's Semifinal: Nadal vs. Clement/Schuettler
Runner-up in 2006 and 2007, Nadal – the "king of clay" – has improved his grass court game year after year. Rafa should have no trouble making the final yet again this year and, indeed, third time could easily be the charm as he attempts yet again to become the first man since Bjorn Borg to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back. His unlikely opponent in the penultimate round will be a one-time Aussie Open finalist and tour veteran, Rarnaulder Sclement, whose resurgence in singles will come to an end on Friday.
Women's Semifinal: Venus Williams vs. Elena Dementieva
The other defending champ, Venus Williams, will take on another erratic Russian in Elena Dementieva. Both players have penetrating groundstrokes that fire like rockets off of the grass, but pit Dementieva's notoriously shaky serve against Venus's record-setting delivery and it's easy to see why Williams is the heavy favorite to advance to the championship match.
Women's Semifinal: Serena Williams vs. Zheng Jie
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the entire tournament is Zheng Jie, the 133rd-ranked veteran who is now the first Chinese Grand Slam singles semifinalist in history and only the third Asian woman ever to advance this far in a major. Not unlike Scheuttler/Clement, expect her run to end at the hands of a multiple-major champion as Serena completes her end of the first all-Williams Grand Slam final since 2003.
–Wyman Meers
It’s the expected versus the unexpected in the 2008 Wimbledon semis. The pairings serve are an appropriate microcosm for the tournament as a whole, where early round chaos was followed by a return to order in the second week of the event.
Men's Semifinal: Federer vs. Safin
Looking for a sixth consecutive title, did anyone doubt that defending champion Roger Federer would be around for the semifinals? Standing in his way is the resurgent Marat Safin, the man with talent enough to have been one of Federer's main rivals were it not for his complete lack of mental stability. This is the first time Safin has advanced to the Wimbledon semis and he has done so by rediscovering the power game that won him two Slam titles. Federer knows all-too-well that an in-form Marat is as big a threat as any the men's game has to offer, but the world's #1 should ultimately prevail on the grass.
Men's Semifinal: Nadal vs. Clement/Schuettler
Runner-up in 2006 and 2007, Nadal – the "king of clay" – has improved his grass court game year after year. Rafa should have no trouble making the final yet again this year and, indeed, third time could easily be the charm as he attempts yet again to become the first man since Bjorn Borg to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back. His unlikely opponent in the penultimate round will be a one-time Aussie Open finalist and tour veteran, Rarnaulder Sclement, whose resurgence in singles will come to an end on Friday.
Women's Semifinal: Venus Williams vs. Elena Dementieva
The other defending champ, Venus Williams, will take on another erratic Russian in Elena Dementieva. Both players have penetrating groundstrokes that fire like rockets off of the grass, but pit Dementieva's notoriously shaky serve against Venus's record-setting delivery and it's easy to see why Williams is the heavy favorite to advance to the championship match.
Women's Semifinal: Serena Williams vs. Zheng Jie
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the entire tournament is Zheng Jie, the 133rd-ranked veteran who is now the first Chinese Grand Slam singles semifinalist in history and only the third Asian woman ever to advance this far in a major. Not unlike Scheuttler/Clement, expect her run to end at the hands of a multiple-major champion as Serena completes her end of the first all-Williams Grand Slam final since 2003.
–Wyman Meers
