Venus makes winning return to Centre Court

Venus Williams, at the age of 37, has advanced to a jaw-dropping 13th Wimbledon quarterfinal.

Back on the Centre Court at which she has flourished for nearly two decades, the No.10 seed on Monday brushed aside the challenge of 19-year-old Ana Konjuh, winning 6-3 6-2 in just 64 minutes.

Her victory sets up a mouth-watering quarterfinal stoush with reigning Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who needed eight match points to subdue fourth seed Elina Svitolina.

“I think I’m playing pretty solid. For me it’s about getting through the round,” Williams said.

“You’re not going to play perfect every round. I would like to play in straight sets every round. That would be great. If not, all that matters is you win.”

Williams’s court assignments at Wimbledon have become something of a bad running joke.

The last time she’d been scheduled on Centre Court against an opponent who hadn’t won a Grand Slam title was way back in 2011, when she fell in the fourth round to Tsvetana Pironkova.

ridiculous that this is the first time…

— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) July 9, 2017

In the subsequent five Wimbledons, Williams appeared on the tournament’s premier court just three times – losses to Petra Kvitova (2014, third round), Serena Williams (2015, fourth round) and Angelique Kerber (2016, semifinals).

Last year, she was relegated to Court 18 – technically a showcourt, but the most minor of the six.

Asked about the curious assignment of the Garbine Muguruza v Angelique Kerber match – featuring the last two Wimbledon finalists, Grand Slam champions and a world No.1 – on No.2 Court, Williams was pointed.

I really wasn’t aware of what court (Kerber) played on,” she said. “I mean, I’ve been in that position before. Similar.”

Against Konjuh, all of the elements that have contributed to her long-running success at the tournament were on display.

The acoustics of Centre Court are legendary, and the clean ‘crack’ of Williams’ groundstrokes was a sensory delight.

Her serve, forever fearsome on the quick lawns, was at its peak – the American landed more than 70 per cent of her first serves, won 86 per cent of those points, and landed seven aces.

Konjuh simply couldn’t hang with Williams – a study in controlled aggression – from the baseline, landing a handful of her big baseline blows but more often than not spraying an error.

This was particularly the case in the second set; already down a break and serving in the fifth game, Konjuh committed four dispiriting errors to drop serve at love.

A few games later, Williams wrapped up victory and waved regally to the appreciative crowd, a step closer to a sixth Venus Rosewater Dish.

Konjuh bundled up her bags and hastily departed the court.

Konjuh couldn't get off CC fast enough.

— Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) July 10, 2017

Williams maintained her 13-year undefeated streak against teenaged opponents, having beaten 19-year-old Japanese rising star Naomi Osaka in the previous round.

Facing a third straight battle with an opponent born in 1997 – the year Venus reached her first major final at Flushing Meadows – Williams claimed to know little of Ostapenko.

“Haven’t seen her play a lot. I didn’t watch any of the French when I was finished with it,” Williams said.

“I know she had an amazing moment there. She’s riding on that momentum. Confidence I’m sure. It’s just been such an amazing result for her. So I’m definitely really happy for her.”

One thing that would make Venus more happy?

Ending the young Latvian’s 11-match Grand Slam winning streak to reach her second straight Wimbledon semifinal.