Ever play tennis for an entire day? Well if you want to know what it is like just ask Rainer Schuettler or Arnaud Clement. There matched started on Wednesday and continued until late into Thursday. Courtesy of a few rain delays (which also extended Serena’s match) a match that restarted at 1pm went on until after 6pm this evening.

In the end Schuettler prevailed in a classic grinder match between two 30plus year olds. These two are quite a surprise getting this far into a tournament, especially since they have done relatively nothing over the past two years. So it will be the German against the Spaniard; a tall order after two days of tennis. But maybe he will be looking for a little payback after Spain took the EU Cup from Germany just a few days ago. While the other semis will be played by Roger Federer and Marat Safin.

But the real news is on the women’s front. It will be another Williams’ final. Both sisters skated through their first sets and then were tested in their second sets. However, it looked more like both players started running to the finish line before the race was over more than the other player being that strong.

Venus won her match 6-1, 7-6, while Serena won her match 6-2, 7-6. Something that is definitely clear from both of these matches is that Venus is playing some great tennis, while Serena is just not running down balls like she used to. Could the weight be slowing her down a bit? Is age catching up to her? Maybe a combination? There was a day that you did not want to hit a ball wide because Serena ran them down and hit some incredible winners. Today, Jie Zheng continued to put balls out of the reach of the younger Williams. Something you did not see a few years ago.

Well, however you pick this one the real controversy started in Elena Dementieva’s post-match press conference. When asked how she saw an all-Williams final she said, “It’s really hard. For sure it’s going to be a family decision. “From there, the crocs in the press room where off and running. But to Venus’ credit she did not buy into it.

Later when Venus was asked about Dementieva’s response she responded, “I contribute my best in my sport and I also have a ton of respect for myself and my family. So any mention of that is extremely disrespectful for who I am, what I stand for and my family.” And that was that!

So the biggest question will be the caliber of the match between the two players. They are two very close sisters and have never made any bones about that. And there is no doubt it is difficult to play your sibling on the largest stage in professional tennis. My pick: Venus. But she has to keep the points short and serve well. Let Serena in the match and it is like letting a tiger loose in a cage full of antelope.
Other news from around SW19.

The Bryans twins were dispatched today in four sets. And Laura Robson, the hottest (talent-wise) 14 year old to grace the tennis circuit in British history has secured herself into the girls’ semifinals. She is all the rage here in a country that has been starved for a female tennis player with any ability.
If you didn’t catch it, Lleyton Hewitt is also expecting his second child.
Well I am off. See you tomorrow (hopefully a bit drier than today).