By Chris Oddo | Friday October 2, 2015
Venus Williams battled through injury and Roberta Vinci to book her spot in the Wuhan final.
Photo Source: Zhong Zhi/Getty
In their first meeting since 2012, Venus Williams and Roberta Vinci locked horns in a thrilling contest that lasted two hours, 43 minutes and featured more twists and turns than the Great Wall of China.
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In the end, Williams secured the 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4) victory to book her place in the final, but not before an injury to her upper left leg and a testy Vinci nearly derailed her progress in the third set.
After splitting the first two sets with the Italian Williams jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the decider and nearly stretched the lead to 5-1 but Vinci worked her way out of a double break point down situation to stay in touch.
Vinci’s hold would mark a turning point in the set as Williams tweaked her leg while stretched out wide for a forehand. The 35-year-old came up limping immediately thereafter.
Williams was clearly hobbled from that point, though she did put on her brave face and looked to be headed to an uncomplicated victory after she held for 5-2 (to her credit, Williams elected not to see the trainer for a medical timeout during changeovers). But Vinci, ever feisty, kept plugging away. The Italian reeled off the next four games to completely turn the match on its ear, and even found herself holding a match point on her serve at 6-5, 40-30.
But warrior Williams would not go quietly. Vinci threw her a lifeline by netting a backhand slice on the match point, and the American took the reins from there, playing two aggressive points to get the break and force the deciding-set tiebreaker.
Williams took the early edge in the tiebreaker, knocking off a pair of exquisite volley winners to grab a 4-2 lead at the changeover, but the lunging left Williams feeling the pain.
A depleted Williams took over 90 seconds to get ready to serve at 5-3, whilst Vinci began to fume about the situation and the fact that umpire Mariana Alves elected not to warn Williams for using too much time.
Taking her time didn’t help Williams, however, as she double-faulted to allow Vinci back on serve in the breaker. But Williams would redouble her efforts to take the final two points on Vinci’s serve (to further heighten the tension a rattled Vinci muttered some angry words at Williams between her first and second serves on match point which drew a punchy "Excuse me?" from Williams). The victory marks Williams' 33rd victory of the season and improves her career record in semifinals to 77-28.
Williams will bid for her 47th career title on Saturday in Wuhan, against either Angelique Kerber or Garbine Muguruza.