Tennis: Kvitova held up high by Williams

Published on Thursday 1 July 2010 10:06

PETRA KVITOVA has surprised most people with her run to the last four of Wimbledon but not her semi-final opponent Serena Williams.

The unseeded Czech has knocked out three seeds on her way to today's Centre Court clash, including US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki.

The 20-year-old had never been beyond the fourth round of a grand slam before this week and has only once got past the second round of any tournament this year.

But Williams was impressed when viewing some of the left-hander's matches last week.

The defending champion said: "I actually thought she would get through in the early rounds. I'm not surprised that I'm playing her.

"She's really, really good. Early in the tournament, I saw her playing a couple of rounds and I was like, 'wow, she's doing really well.' She was just hitting the ball so clean.

"When she beat Wozniacki I wasn't surprised, because I just saw how well she was playing. She's a really tough player, especially on grass."

Kvitova lost 6-2, 6-1 to Williams in the Australian Open in January but she is determined to enjoy her spot in the limelight after Russian 21st seed Vera Zvonareva faces Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in the first semi-final.

"I'm not the favourite, so I can just play my game and enjoy it," Kvitova said.

Williams will be looking to avoid a third successive day of shocks for her family.

The day after sister Venus lost to Pironkova in the quarter-finals, the pair fell to Zvonareva and Elena Vesnina in the doubles tournament.

But Venus believes her sister can use the know-how of winning 12 grand slams to good effect.

"Obviously, she has the experience – more experience than anyone left in the draw," she said.

"Hopefully, that will be really a lot more than enough for her."