Venus Williams back in Wimbledon finals

LONDON, July 3 (UPI) -- Reigning champion Venus Williams beat Russia's Elena Dementieva 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) in one women's semifinal Thursday at the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Williams, the women's seventh seed, wiped out a nervous, over-matched fifth-seeded Dementieva in just 38 minutes in the first set.

Dementieva made the match respectable by forcing a second set tie-breaker.

Williams faces sister Serena, the sixth seed, in the women's final on Saturday.

Serena Williams beat unseeded Jie Zheng of China 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) to set up a third all-Williams Wimbledon title match on Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to playing her," Venus told reporters before her sister's victory. "It's so exciting. I lost serve once every match. That's pretty impressive (and) I'm looking forward to that final."

Venus, 28, a six-time Grand Slam champion, rose to 7-0 in Wimbledon semifinal appearances and will be trying to win her 37th title in 59 career finals.

Serena won the 2002 and 2003 matchups.

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