Day 10, Part 2 Wimbledon

You are about to lead -- leave the sanctuary of the locker room. Take a

deep breath. Focus. It's time to take the walk. Pictures hang on the

wall. Great moments captured in time. Ignore them. Your opponent is

right there. Ignore them. You are nervous. There is pressure.

Especially if you are the home favourite. The woman who has

suddenly got the whole nation behind you. History weighing on your

shoulders. Ignore it. Walk down the stairs. Past the trophy cabinet.

Past the honours board. Ignore them. Tell yourself, this is just another

match. Only it's not. You know it's not. It's the semifinal at

Wimbledon. The door is open, finally. The end of the tunnel. And

it's time to go to work. No one knows that walk better.

Martina Navratilova has 59 Grand Slam titles, while Johanna Konta

will make that walk today still striving for her first. We have not

had a day like this for 39 years. A British woman in the semifinals at

Wimbledon. But Konta has performed brilliantly at this year's Wimbledon

and carries the country's hopes after Andy Murray's defeat

yesterday. She was out on the practice court this morning. Three

times she has been taken to three sets and each time she has found a

way to win. And they have been some of the most thrilling matches of

this year's Wimbledon. Standing in her way is an all-time great of the

sport. Venus Williams is a five times winner of the ladies singles.

At the age of 37 she is the oldest semifinalist since Martina 23 years

ago. She has played 100 matches here and won 86. But Konta has a winning

3-2 record against Williams. And has already disposed of number two seed

Simona Halep. She is the first British woman to reach the

semifinals since Virginia Wade in 1978. The other semifinal is Garbine

Muguruza against Magdalena Rybarikova. Muguruza was a finalist

two years ago when she lost to Serena Williams. Rybarikova is one

of the stories of the championship. She is ranked 87 in the world and

she makes comeback from injury. She has won 18 of 19 matches on grass

this year. Good afternoon. Today is a huge day for Jo. She will be on

Centre Court later, hoping the British fans will cheer her to

victory. That is the second match on the centre. First up, it is Muguruza

against a player who until now had never made it past the third round

of a major. Maybe the nerves were kicking in. Just a short time ago

Muguruza claimed the opening set. This is how she did it. And another

error from Rybarikova. Muguruza takes the opening set 6-1. Her

coach, can she do Martinez, a former Wimbledon champion, absolutely

delighted. Muguruza has a break of serve as we join it live in the

second set. She is serving at 1-0. Let's join our commentators, Kim

cloisters, John McEnroe and Simon Read.

That is one of the few times she has come forward. That is what she

needed to do there, just reach for it. Get down with those legs.

I hate to say it, as she turned towards us, there is a resigned look

about Rybarikova. Frustrating, too. It is frustrating if you are playing

the biggest match of your career and you're not playing your best tennis.

She is a little hesitant. That is not fun. At least on the big stage

you want to play some of your best tennis.

She is keeping a great length, to, Muguruza. She has come out extremely

focused, ready to go. She has brought game. -- her A game.

And this is a woman who has won 18 19 grass court matches coming into

this one. But of course is very different. -- this is very

different. And then there is that. It took 35

minutes for her to start to feel the ball. That one shot, that forehand

passing shot that would have given her the lead, just send her reeling

in the opposite direction. Now she looks like she did at the beginning.

She is coming back to being completely frozen. Muguruza seems

even a little bit better. She was making some mistakes in that first

sad. She is now stepping her game up. For Rybarikova, it is one thing

saying, I'm thrilled to be in the semifinal, I'm delighted, can't

believe it. She didn't say it but I'm sure people have said to her,

there is no pressure. You are not expected to win. Taking that on

board is one thing and it is another thing believing it. You want to show

what you can do. One of my most frustrating things about losing my

Grand Slam finals early in my career was that, OK, it's lose, that is not

fun. But the fact I wasn't able to play my best tennis. That my

opponents did not beat me at my best, that was the most

disappointing for me. Right now, if you had told me she had won 18 out

of 19 grass court matches, it looks like she has lost 18 out of 19.

She has stepped game up again, Muguruza. Another notch.

Too casual by Rybarikova. How about blasting the ball at her? Change

something up. A clever little shot. That is a

one-handed sliced backhand. Caught Muguruza off-guard. Tried to let at

bounce and changed her mind again. She is hitting way too many balls a

couple of feet inside the baseline. Beautiful. You have to hand it to.

-- you have to hand it to her. The other side of the coin, it's nice

when everything is working. Yeah. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen

too often. At times it's frighteningly good. When I was --

when I was getting beaten, hence of Lee, I'd be looking at the clock.

You've got to make it to an hour. Make it a set 6-3, or something.

I played Rios one time here on Centre Court. I did the opposite. It

was 6-0, 5-0. I was trying to stay on for 45 minutes just to give it a

little bit of a challenge! Yes! APPLAUSE

Clear thinking. Could that be a trigger? LAUGHTER.

It's a nice feeling for Muguruza knowing that your opponent is not

going to hit her of the court. She has put a lot of variety in to her

shots but they are not hurting her. You can see what a huge difference

hitting the ball deep makes when you're out there. That return right

at the baseline, way too many. APPLAUSE

That previous return is something her coach worked on with everybody

he coached. That is something he really tries to focus on when he

works with a girl. She is unstoppable. People don't

understand what controlling the court means. They should study this

tape. How much easier it is when you are dictating from the baseline as

opposed to scrambling. She is going to challenge. It did

look like it might have been long. SLOW CLAPPING

Certainly needs to be as far as this match is concerned. And it is.

The toss was extremely low, too far forward.

Really good job. Muguruza is on fire. The rallies are getting longer

and she is playing a little bit better again, Rybarikova, but it is

Muguruza all the way. Just moving her from side to side.

It was there if it was over. That was the same shot she had to hold

the first game. She didn't do it. Way too many short balls. Her serve

is 34 miles an hour less than it has been in the tournament. -- three or

four. Desperate enough to try for the first time the serve and volley.

Is a break point for a 5-0. That is the skill she has at her

disposal if so -- if only she could use it. She has got some good hands.

She has got a lot of variety. That has really hurt her, how short

she has hit the ball. That is the shot of the match, that backhand

down the line. APPLAUSE

For once, Muguruza being manoeuvred around. This is the longest game of

the match. And it is pivotal. APPLAUSE

Well played. It is fascinating. Just two years

ago at Birmingham on grass, Rybarikova went the 6-3, 6-1. A few

weeks later, Muguruza goes on to get to the Wimbledon final. She was

playing well at that stage. But big court, biggest match of her life,

she hasn't been able to show. Yes, and of course a lot can happen in

that time. This is already a huge step for her. Both girls. Muguruza,

since then, has had some of the biggest result of her career.

Something I have admired about Muguruza is that even before she had

one a lot of big matches, she was so composed out there. She looked like

she had already won Grand Slams, without being overly confident. She

already acted and behaved like she belonged. And I think is something

that added to it. That belief in yourself is so important, to be able

to win matches like this and to win big tournaments. From what I have

seen in the last couple of years, you never feel that confidence is

one of her problems. No! Which is a good thing. As I said, not overly

confident. But she has her results where you think, she is doubting

yourself. You would never see it in her body language.

The way she acted when she won the French, it looked like she was never

going to lose another match! But she has perhaps been humbled

just a touch in the past year or so. Can she do Martinez came into the

picture. The timing seemed right. She has gathered herself you nicely.

-- Conchita Martinez. Martinez a champion here 23 years

ago. APPLAUSE

She has played those really well, those lobs. Unfortunately, there

have only been three or four of those points. And in 12 games, that

doesn't amount to a whole lot! Another game goes Muguruza's way.

When Conchita Martinez won it, Martina was what, 37? It would be

interesting to see Muguruza play another 37-year-old American. It is

possible. We will find out, apparently soon, what happens in the

other semifinal. We said about Muguruza for a lot of

this year, that when things go wrong, they start to go very wrong.

But there is no sign of anything going wrong here.

Again that depth. It is most like you want to get a hook and take her

out of there. -- almost. She wants you to get the hook! Please take me

off. For Muguruza, this is the perfect

semifinal. It is short, she is not wasting any energy. She has been

able to play her game, dominate her opponent. She will leave this match

feeling very comfortable and motivated to start. She has been

dictating. APPLAUSE

She is through to the final again. And it was that good, Conchita

Martinez is smiling. The good news for Rybarikova is it did last the

hour. But there wasn't much more. 64 minutes. But wasn't Muguruza good?

She was extremely good. Rybarikova didn't make it hard enough for her

to be tested but she dictated most of the games, almost all of them.

Like I said before, she will leave the court feeling very comfortable

and happy with how the semifinal went. She is into her third Grand

Slam final. But John, as you were hinting, I sense when she won Roland

Garros last year, she was going to take over. She acted like she

believed it. It took awhile for her to get to grips with the reality

that it wasn't quite that simple. I think she is playing better than she

was when she won the French. She beat Serena.

She's more aggressive and it paid off. I feel bad for Rybarikova.

She's had the tournament of her life. It would be hard to, not for a

while, to be thinking about what just happened. It makes you think,

yeah, maybe I am like 80 in the world. You don't think of yourself

as a top player after being beat like that.

Well, she will go to 33 on Monday. That will be a boost to be seeded in

some tournaments. Getting into the main draw wherever

she wants. And who know, Muguruza, the world number one spot is

changing week by week and looks as if it will do, and she has a shot at

that. Is she the number one? No.

A possibility. She will go five if she wins the

title, Muguruza. She did what she needed to it was a

great effort. So, there is confirmation. It lasted

all of 65 minutes. But Muguruza is through, 6-1, 6-1.

She's now talking to Phil Jones. Congratulation, another Grand Slam

final. You've reached this one, far quicker than anyone expected. It

seems you're on the top of your game right now? I think that I played

very well for sure. It was a tricky match. She's a talented player. She

was playing well during the tournament. Today I stepped out on

the court confident and everything went well.

How about your big match experience compared to her's, having been a

Grand Slam champion ho in the final here, was that telling? Definitely.

When you have been before, you handle the matches better. I played

well, definitely, yes. Owl through the tournament, you are

playing at a great level. Are you surpassing that time you were

playing at the French Open? Surpassing it? I'm not sure. I just

want to keep it up well now. And hopefully it goes my well. What is

Conchita Martinez going to bring to you, being here on former occasions.

Well, she knows how to win here. She has been helping Major League

through the weeks with her experience and tip, so for sure it

will help. And a question on the final itself,

it will be Venus, Johanna Konta, an historic occasion, regardless of who

is in the final, how will you enjoy the final? I will enjoy it for sure.

Being in a Grand Slam final is an achievement. I want to win, no

matter who is in front. I want to see their game. I will look forward

to it. Well, congratulations, you are

playing brilliantly. Well done. Thank you.

A masterclass of grass court play and concentration as well. She never

let her opponent into the match. Keeping the level of her game so

high. When she is in full flow, she looks unstoppable on this surface.

There is coach, Martinez, yes, she's absolutely delighted. A former

champion here, she has seen Robert Mugabe playing her best and getting

into a semifinal for a second time. Well done to Muguruza,

disappointment for Rybarikova. But, firstly, what an incredible match,

Muguruza is playing? Don't wake her up. All of the years of train, we

play to be playing at that level. That is dream like. The way that

Muguruza wassating har gets on the serve. Being aggressive. The

footwork was so alert. On balance, hitting targets from one sideline to

the other. Within six inches of the baseline and loves the backhand and

continues to be aggressive as she has throughout the tournament.

And never gave her opponent time to play the shots? Just suffocated her.

She tried to change the pace with the slice, the drop shots but

Muguruza was up there so quickly, she was so prepared. Up there.

Obviously loves the backhand. But no missed cues. And Rybarikova was

rushed all the time. And Muguruza was inside the baseline

in almost every rally. Rybarikova could not push her back? No, and

threw in the slice, and there, Muguruza with excellent footwork and

preparation and continued to stay calm. We thought maybe she would get

nervous closing out quickly but never did.

A clear focus and game plan. And as far as Rybarikova is

concerned, the enormity of the occasion caught up with her? I

agree. She was kicking the ball around, and hitting the ball looking

relaxed. But not today. She was a little agitated. A couple of

challenges, looking to her support box. I think she got to within a

couple of matches of winning Wimbledon, within a touching point

and tightened up. This is a lot to take in. She's won five matches, and

beaten many, and then the media and the obligations, maybe a little too

much. But what a fairy tale so far. We have said it in the summer with

Muguruza, a breath of fresh air for tennis but it didn't happen. And if

she carries on playing like this, she will be the world number one? We

have said it how many time, Sue? That is consistency, that is

lacking. Muguruza's career, she has won a grand total of three titles

and a major, which is not right for someone with this level of talent

and potential and the weapons but is not giving it often enough. Maybe it

is Conchita matter Mersey, she knows how to win at Wimbledon in '94. And

also chilled. She is relaxed. Maybe that is helping Muguruza manage the

situation. She knows how to win here. Garbina struggled with the

forced errors. In a tough situation she puts the spin on the ball, and

keeps it in play to wait for the right opportunity. Maybe that is

Conchita in her head. It took just over an hour. But there

is a real buzz on the Centre Court, next up is the British woman rocking

Centre Court this year. British tennis history is made. It's

been 39 years since a British woman became a semi-finalist.

Wow! Yes, it is Johanna Konta up against Venus Williams. Martina has

joined us. We saw you doing that nervous walk on Centre Court, it

starts to build from the quarterfinals onwards? It does. It

has changed the walk. It is longer now as the locker room was closer

are so even more time to get nervous. But it's a great moment.

This is all the work has been done. This is where you want to be. So,

hey, you are here, you get to play. But it is almost surreal it is quiet

in the walkway, it is you and the opponent and then you come out and

you are on worldwide TV. It's a big change. Even the lockerroom is quiet

with less competitors in the drauchlt it feels like, OK, this is

the moment. We saw in the last match just how nerves can play a part. She

didn't play well in the first few games but couldn't stop the rot?

This is why the beginning of the match is crucial for the lower

ranked player. Not to let the top-ranked player runaway. As their

nerves are set. It is really a freight train. She needed the first

hole, it didn't happen. And Muguruza has been playing this way the whole

tournament but today, I would have thought her nerves would have been

Dingling than perhaps other matches but she played solid.

Well, of course, Venus knows her way to a woman's semifinal but let's

hear from Johanna Konta, she's been talking to Richie. A very special

day for Johanna Konta. It's extra special for British

tennis fans - they've waited 33 years to be able to say that one of

their own is in the quarterfinals. Whenever you engage in one of these

tight tight tustles, you always seem to have the belief... Wow! It's her

trademark. I trust in my own ability. It has to

be there. # And I rise up

# I'll rise like the day # I'll rise up

# I'll rise unafraid # I'll rise up, and I do it a

thousand and times again... You're the first British woman since 1978

to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon. Winning the quarterfinal

match means you will be in the top five of the women's rafrngings when

they are out next week... I didn't know that! OK! Thank you!

Congratulations. Thank you! When you add up all of

the achievements, do you pat yourself on the back and go well

done? It's difficult. I guess in both the fortunate and unfortunate

positions in tennis, things move very quickly. Before you know it,

the championships will be over and there will be ex-events next week.

In that sense as it is so fast-moving it is almost an art to

reflect well and acknowledge the good things you do. And it is

something that I work on to acknowledge the good things I'm

doing. But I'll let you know over Wimbledon how my pat on the back

went, OK. ARCHIVE: British tennis history is

made... Venus William, semifinal at Wimbledon, the sound of that to us

is exciting, as you can imagine, what about for you? Equally. I have

shared the court with her a number of times in the last couple of

years, each time I have had to play her it's been a battle. The last

time she got the better of me, so I'm looking forward to sharing the

court with her again and to be playing against someone in such good

form, who is such a champion. I've never played her on the grass, so

that will be a new experience as well. How much can the crowd help

you in those difficult moments, that, I'm sure, will be coming

against Venus? I think they've been tremendous in their passion, their

support and their excitement for me to, I guess, battle well. I'm

definitely feeling humbled and grateful that they are on this

journey with me here and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing

them on Thursday. She's staying so focussed. And she's

come through major battles at this tournament? She has. Garcia 6-4. And

then Halep. In the set, five in the tie-break and then two sets to come.

And then getting the number one ranking, and Halep backed off a bit.

And Martina, this is when she broke in the fourth set it was important.

There are 23 games in a row where the players held serve. That is how

they play, no break points. But Jo put herself in the position more

than Halep. And pulling back, that was all she needed.

This is serving for the match, no sign of nerves at all? Not at all.

She was brilliant. She doesn't let the errors mount. That is what she

used to do. That's amazing to have such a turn around in two years.

Obviously working with a mentor coach has been helpful to be clear

of the game plan out there. But to be able to employ it time and time

again, that is helpful coming into the semi-finals to have the three

tight matches to come through. And beating Venus in Miami.

But this is this morning. Look how relaxed she is. Like she is going

out for a game in a local park. Again, this is why you are here.

This is a warm up to get the cobwebs out, to get the heart rate going and

the blood rate going. But all the work has been done. This is the warm

up. She is clearly enjoying it. That is what it should be, embracing it,

not dreading it. And you have to stay focussed, and

also to keep the feet moving. It's a difficult balance.

Tennis is a difficult competition, you must be intense, then calm, to

get ready for the ball, to be fast then slow. It is fast, low, fast,

slow. To remember your mistakes so you don't make them again. It's a

fun game! And where one point can swing the set? Absolutely. And how

many times has she been able to do that and on her own serve. She has a

big serve but a clutch serve. That is important. She can come up with

the big serve when she needs it most. Serving today will be huge.

Both players have a huge first serve but Venus' sell serve can be

attackable. Her first serve must be high.

They are both big servers, there is nothing between the two. One mile an

hour on the first serve, again on the second serve. The only

difference is at the bottom is where Venus has 22 double faults to Jo's

ten. Overall, Venus has a better return

of serve, overall. Also that last match against Halep, Jo was missing

the returns. So she must get that into play.

And the placements. This is where Venus has been serving. The middle

column in the red. 30% on the left court and 14% on the deuce court and

then change over to Konta, she's going for the corners.

0% on the left. Tracy, we know she loves to go for the angle. She is

fit. So she can get the returns back? She should body serve more

with Venus at 6ft 1, throw in the body serve so Venus can't get into a

rhythm on the returns. And Jo forehand is a little brittle but

Venus serves out wide to the deuce court.

And grace placement, and does not like to be taken wide on the return,

so she is using the body serve. As you are older you hit the body

serves. The young guns go for the aces, Venus is using the body serve,

somebody that long it is hard to get out of the way of the ball. Venus

loves to step into the ball. When you are that tall with long arm it

is is a little more tricky, so hopefully Jo's team have done the

homework and know where Venus is serving so that they can change

their locations a little bit. Technically, who's serve is better?

I think it is Jo. Venus is a big server but pulls down with the left

side quickly. And has a tendency to get predictable. As she slices on

the right side of the ball she likes to go wide, especially down the T in

the ad side. That is predictable. She must mix it up to all four

corners and the body serve. The second serve she decelerates instead

of going up and after. I think that Jo's second serve is better. Jo has

been playing in the first women's semifinal leer. But not the same for

Venus who made her debut 20 years ago. She is still in contention for

the final. Here is her story.

A lot can change in 20 years, people come, people go... Some things

remain constant but long reigns are scarce in sport, making Venus

Williams the rarest of gems. 20 years after her first Wimbledon, 100

matches and five titles later, Williams The Elder is a serious

contender again. It's the love for the game. It is

what you need to keep a long career. Of course, the belief too. She must

still believe she is capable of beating the best players out there

and she can. At 37, she's the oldest woman to

make the semi-finals here since the legendary Martina Navratilova in

1994. The British player who practiced with Venus during the

first Wimbledon didn't see it coming at all.

I remember back in 1997, Venus' first Wimbledon. We spent a lot of

time together on the practice courts. I started hitting with

Venus, it was not normal, getting every ball at mach 10. If you told

me 20 years ago she would be playing in 2017, I don't think I could have

believed you. And considering the gloom of her

heavy dwloom of the recent and much publicised car accident.

Maybe I should go... Venus is a warm person, an empathetic person, this

is not something that she would be able to brush off. She internalises

it. She's a stoic person, so for her to break down like that,

demonstrates the internal struggle she is going through.

I think that she finds refuge on the tennis court but no more so than at

Wimbledon. Just being on that grass, I think is

very comforting to her in a lot of ways. And she's one of only two

former champions here, so I'd' give her a shot.

Being able to treat the two imposters, triumph and disaster, the

same, has never felt more apt for Williams as she bids to succeed her

sister as champion and win her first singles championship for nine years.

You can't discount Venus, she is playing well, as well as she ever

has. Venus comes to Wimbledon as if she belongs here.s as she says, it

feels like her home. Taking fill ownership of Wimbledon once again,

would abtale for the ages. A lot can change in 20 years but lifting

Wimbledon trophies never gets old. It really is the most incredible

story. And being a great champion, walking on to Centre Court it is

playing from memory, remembering how to feel on the big moments.

Venus has many great feelings and memories to go by. She has won five

times. No other woman has won here like that, so she is a favourite

from the get-go. It helps. You can see how you hit it ten years

ago and then now, and think she can hit it.

I didn't think we would see Venus competing for a grand lamb final

ever again after hers medical diagnosis, the fatigue and the

discomfort for her joints it is a dream.

-- Grand Slam. I agree. Last year she got back to the semi-finals and

got back into the thick of it. And the top ten and at 37 to get into

the finals of the Australian Open, losing to Serena but as soon as

Serena was not in the draw, you had to make Venus a part of the

conversation. She knows how to play on the surface. She knows it. She is

comfortable with the grass on her feet. The points are shorter so,

that is helpful. And she knows when to go for the shot, when to pull the

trigger. We are to discuss what Jo can do

against Venus but let's get into the mind of her coach.

It's over. British tennis history is made.

It's been 39 years since a British woman can say I'm a Wimbledon

semi-finalist. What a moment. A Wimbledon semifinal

against a five-time champion for your player. How exciting is it?

It's very exciting moment in my coaching career as well.

Yes, this is where we want to be. This is what we are training for.

Yeah, I believe it will be a fantastic match.

Let's look ahead. Venus Williams, 20 years ago she first played the main

draw at Wimbledon. It's one of the great stories of the

sport, that she is here again in another semifinal.

Yes it is fantastic to play against Venus now. She has a successful year

this year. Everywhere she is playing she has had very good results. So

this will be a very big test for Johanna but a semifinal Wimbledon,

playing Venus Williams it can't get much better.

We know about Venus' strengths, they are obvious, what about the

weaknesses. The area to target? I don't think that we can speak about

a weakness, a player like Venus does not have a weakness. It is more

patterns. There are things we can expect. For Johannna it is forwent

focus on her strengths. When you got the call to coach

Johanna Konta, did you believe then that success at Wimbledon was

possible? Yes. Definitely yes. A great athlete. Someone who is

professional, dedicated. I saw someone with a big presence on

court. Not afraid to fail. And not afraid

to lose. Some have suggested perhaps she can

embrace the crowd a little more. It is such an advantage having 15,000

people behind you. Is that an issue, or would you rather she carry on

what she is doing? It is great to enjoy the court and feel the energy

from the crowd that is for sure. She is probably not expressing it as

much as people would like her to. But she is still young in her

career. And it's something that needs time for her, I think.

But, yeah, she's very comfortable in the zone where she is right now. At

this moment I would like her to stay in that zone.

Is it possible she will be in the Wimbledon final on Saturday? For

sure, it's possible. 50/50 against Venus.

She has to play a good match. Unfortunately, it will depend on the

level of Venus but I give her a chance.

She has to believe in herself. I do belief in her. Her team believes in

her. What will your final message be to

her when she makes the walk from the locker room to the court? Enjoy it.

It is interesting. We have heard it many times.

Jo, to involve the crowd more. Did you ever hear that about Bjorg?

Sampras or even Agassi? Never. You need to win. That's how you get the

crowd involved! For me, it is not a part of her process. She has

routines to go through, before serving and each point. That would

be distracting for her to change at this time.

And her coach does the tactics, e-mails them to her. She must recite

them to him and they have a game plan and they stick to it.

It is good to know. I liked to speak to my coach. But whatever works and

it is working for her. It is good to know that they have a set game plan

for the different players. These days there is not the variety as

there used to be but there must be ideas toos what to do and

concentrate on. There is the coach and the boyfriend

and the dad in the pink shirt and the glasses. So a nervous time for

them. Being British, you have seen the newspapers, this is more than a

tennis match, isn't it? It is such a big deal. Also this is the feeling

that this is the break-out year for Johanna Konta. She won in Miami,

this is a big year. She broke into the top ten. I don't know if the

British crowd knew so much about Johanna Konta. I feel like the

matches have impressed them. The way that she held her demean our and has

been calm. She loves the battle, the process. In each interview she

speaks about that. She has employed that well. When I look at the dad

there, you must think about what the family has been through. They were

living in Australia, they decided to come here when she was 12, to be

home schooled. To put all of the eggs in the basket to play tennis.

To move here. To move to Spain. This is a long way coming, it is for this

moment right here. Absolutely. It is a sacrifice. You did the same,

Martina. It's what you have to do to follow your dream it is a wonderful

sport to be a part of. You want to make sure you gave it

everything you had. There is no other chance. The time is returning

away. You have to make the most of it when there are opportunities.

It's a commitment. There are many that go along for the ride. Maybe

that helps as you give it your best. You have so many people that have

given up their dreams to help your dream. So it takes off the pressure,

you better be committed. Tennis in Australia, she was one of the rising

juniors but not a top-ranked junior. But getting help from coaching. They

took the funding away. That is when they decided to come here. Then at

one point the funding was taken from her here as well. It give as strong

desire to show them. If she was not so highly talented, it was the work

ethic, in the school, the coaches that she worked with have all spoken

about the work she has put it. And this is a huge opportunity.

Talking about it with Serena out of the game, Maria Sharapova not being

here, this was an opportunity to come through and take the

opportunity. Yes. That is a big window of

opportunity. We have spoke about it from the beginning, who will take

the opportunity and make the most of it. Now you see the end result. It

could be Muguruza, or could be Jo or Venus. The big hitters have come

through. But they play to win. That is what wins majors that is what

wins on grass. We saw it at the French with Ostapenka winning. And

it was wide open. Anywhere from the small division to come through and

win the French. This is a huge opportunity.

You look at the French, Wimbledon, the women's matches have been

fantastic! ? Physical, mental. And the people that go for it, they play

to waned win. And so I hope that the girls are watching and the boys

watching this sport. This is what works so get your stuff organised

and play to win and not hope that the other person plays badly. Taking

the bull by the horns. Excuse me, Halep pulled back. She

was up a set, 5-4 in the tie-break, two points away, the shots didn't

have the same sting. Landing in thester of the court. And Jo was

brave. That's how she must play today.

Martina, we saw you telling her to ignore everything. Here she is.

Straight out. They are not holding the players. Jo followed by Venus,

wait for the cheer... Didn't that give you goose bumps?

That was just a huge cheer. I think it will be a factor. That will

energise both players, particularly Jo. They are giving it all they

have. The crowd may help. It may hurt. At the end of the day you have

to play the ball. You're playing Venus Williams, not anybody else.

Venus is playing Jo Konta, not anybody else. We will see who can

play better tennis at the crucial moments. This is what it is all

about. We saw in the last match, these first few games will be key to

get yourself focused. She is looking so relaxed. She is chatting to the

umpire. This is what we want to see. This is the right state of mind. I

can feel the energy already. The crowd will be for her. Yet you have

this five-time champion who is so calm, so poised. Jo has beaten

Venus. That was the break-out tournament

for me with Jo. Miami. It was a big event. And back-to-back big players.

She is the only player in the semifinals to have won a tour title.

Does not been a great year for any of these players. Venus Williams has

a great opportunity here. These people play great tennis on grass.

They play aggressively. Shirley Bassey watching on. The crowd will

also have a huge respect for Venus as well with everything that she has

achieved. Five times a champion. They must be feeling divided. Of

course they wanted -- the Brit to win. But what a tailored would be if

the nurse were to win here again. At 37. We will talk more about the

semifinal. First, let's look at Jo's journey through to the last four.

Welcome to Court One. Johanna Konta, the world number seven. High home

hopes for her. She has the double break. And it is an ace to win the

match for Johanna Konta. Konta takes the opening set. What a

fightback from Donna Vekic. Konta composed as ever, hangs on. What a

battle. What resilience. First set to the British number one.

Three down, four to go. To end 40 years of you know what.

One of the biggest days British tennis has known in a long time. Jo

Konta halfway there are a women's quarterfinal. She has one the first

set. -- won. She had the mental resolve to get the job done. We are

level at a set apiece. Jo Konta, Wimbledon quarterfinalist, the first

since Jo Durie in 1984. Wow! That is worrying from a British perspective.

A magnificent tie-break from Simona Halep. They are bringing the best

out of each other. Look at that. Jo Konta has forced a final set. It is

over. British tennis history is made.

We have found out a lot about Jo throughout this Championships. We

will find out even more today as we see the stats of what she has

achieved. Semifinal at the Australian Open. She has been in a

Grand Slam semifinal. Not quite the same as a home Grand Slam. That was

break-out tournament. She announced herself that she would be part of

the elite. It has been a nice process, but kind of a quick process

the last couple of years am considering she is 26 and has been

at this a long time. Donna Vekic had beaten her in Nottingham. And Simona

Halep, that was the match right there. She was two points away from

defeat. Their kitsch and Garcia gave the most trouble -- Donna Vekic.

What will decide the match today is if Jo can return the serve. Venus

has the bigger serve. She needs to give herself more opportunities to

break serve. She will get broken. Everybody does. Word-macro this is

Venus' favourite Grand Slam. It is her favourite course. -- court. The

serve is a natural slice, so it stays down and moves away from the

opponent. Venus lost one set in the second round. Then she played big

hitters. She beat Ostapenko, the French Open champion. She will be

used to that hard, powerful, flatground stroke. It is 3-2 in

favour of Jo as far as the head-to-heads go. They have played

twice this year. Martina, you are saying this year that Mark -- Venus'

return is better? Yes, she goes for more and makes more. Especially on

the big points. If I were looking at something weird here, I have not

seen Venus play a first serve in the warm up. Jo is smacking the heck out

of her serve. Total speculation. But you want to warm up the arm more

than that. You are right. We watched practising earlier and she was doing

the same thing. I have seen that in past tournaments. Could it be her

age, at 37? Last year she had trouble with her arm much of the

season. Could it be something that she needs a little bit more time to

warm up? She will definitely need that serve all out today.

Absolutely. They are both very tenacious, aggressive players. They

have to back the big serve up. Big first strike, both players. Both

good at moving forward and knocking the swing volleys away. It is a

matter of who can hold their nerve spatter, who can move better and

play the big points better. The movement is crucial because I don't

think Venus is moving as quickly. That is the one thing in a game that

is not as strong as when she was 27. Not slower by a whole foot. Just a

little bit. These small things can make the difference. Everybody has

been asking me if she can win. It is must like a coin toss. It is most

impossible to tell. I would give the slight edge to Venus because she has

been here before. The crowd tell you it is ready to

start. It is Jo Konta pots --'s big day on Centre Court. Can she make it

back -- to the final as Virginia Wade did in 1977?

It has been a long journey for Jo Konta to get to this point. You will

hear the noise in a moment as she emerges to what is a home-court

reception. The atmosphere is crackling. Muguruza went through in

the first semifinal. Contact Centre Court. -- Konta.

Not quite ready. Attacked by a beast.

LAUGHTER. The insect has had a very good season.

It is going to be a different style of match compared to Konta against

Halep. But we all hope the quality of the hitting is the same. If we

had any doubt about Venus' arm, her serve before the warm up, 99 miles

per second serve. I think the shoulder is just fine.

That is a big forehand from Venus Williams. Jo Konta takes a big swing

forehands. She will have to shorten it a little bit or you will see that

result right there. She doesn't have time to get a round ball. The Venus

Williams has come out firing. APPLAUSE

On the line and Konta gets something on the board. It helps to settle in.

-- it helps her to settle in. But the hold for a Venus Williams.

Near of an ideal start. Her sister watching on alongside her mother.

You can see the power of the hitting we are going to see from both of

these women throughout this match. There is Venus Williams' culls on

the right-hand side. -- coach. Konta served so well against Halep. She

has done throughout the championship.

UMPIRE: Let, second service. Venus ready to attack that second

serve. Sometimes just that presence there:

settle. A double fault very early. You feel the player closer to you,

so you hit a shorter serve. Sometimes they go in the net.

APPLAUSE It is important for Jo Konta to get

off to a decent start. Her coach on the left with the sunglasses. You

don't want to let Venus Williams get into her stride.

Well Mac! -- Womack! That sends a message. The return is way more

powerful than the serve. 93 mph second serve. Venus Williams smacks

it back. The crowd applaud, thinking it might

be an ace. Johanna Konta asks the question.

Not quite. Still stuck on 29 aces in this tournament. APPLAUSE

Not even the long arms of Venus Williams can get to that one.

APPLAUSE You can hear the goodwill from the

crowd, urging her to hold her serve. APPLAUSE

That is a good comeback in that service game from Konta. We saw what

can happen if things start to slip away quickly, as we did in the first

semifinal. Virginia Wade watching, the last British woman to have won

here in 1977. That was a big game. It could have totally turned the

match already. It was essential for Jo to get on board, hold her nerve,

which she has been doing, repeatedly.

APPLAUSE That is well played. Konta keeping

Venus on the move. Venus has lost a little bit of that spectacular

movement. She still moves incredibly well but that forehand was a little

bit shorter than Venus would like it to be, and Konta attacks.

When you watch her move around the baseline before serving, she has a

wonderful calm demeanour. It is the explosion into the power of it. Her

legs, so beautiful. There was not much Konta could do about that. Good

serving again by Venus Williams. Whether Johanna Konta can get

anything on that serve, that is a big question. Both have been serving

very well throughout this championship. When they both have

those big serves, if they are landing the first serve, it is very

difficult for any opponent. Jo Konta add that ridiculously great serving

day against Simona Halep in the first set. 97%. You never hear of

that. And she lost the set despite that. She didn't serve as well in

the second and third but won the match. Venus Williams, straight off

the bat here. Ten first serves in. Tracy mentioned Venus' use of legs.

It is also high she uses her wrists. You see how loose it is. The racket

makes a big loop and accelerates. It starts with the hips. The upper

body, shoulder and finally the wrists. The racket completely comes

around. It is not just the height but it is the snap. 120 mile -- 129

miles per she once recorded at Wimbledon.

APPLAUSE Terrific from Konta to absorb those

powerful ground strokes. It is very tough to be that close, three feet

inside Rome baseline. It is testing your own quickness and hand eye.

She is quite good at shutting out the clamour and the noise and the

turmoil, Konta. Carlos Ramos says it was just a

Ford. Konta is happy with that. -- fault.

We can confirm if she had challenged, it would have been

successful. It was in, apparently. The umpire was pretty adamant the

ball was out. It caught a good part of the line, a centimetre and a

half. Bad luck for Jo. It is pressured time again on her serve.

UMPIRE: Let, first service. APPLAUSE

Fantastic serve under big pressure. 109 mph down the middle. Jo has been

sending predominantly Widener first serve. Venus predominantly down the

middle. It'll be interesting to see how the numbers out during this

match. -- pan out. It wasn't a bad serve but came back

pretty hot. Venus Williams is standing well inside the baseline

when hitting the second serve return. She is taking away time from

Konta. APPLAUSE Konta has been mixing the placement

of serves up up hole tournament. APPLAUSE

And another one. It brings the hold for Konta. It is not easy for her at

the moment. The best thing is she is standing up pretty well when she is

put under pressure. She has been doing it all tournament. Against

Donna Vekic in the second round. APPLAUSE

The first double fault of the match fur Williams. -- for.

That is too good from Williams. She seemed to be on the back foot. Even

off-balance, she found the gap. You have got to cover the line. She

moves to Fatullah right. Really, Venus was so late offer back foot,

that was the only shot she had got. You don't want to give away the easy

shot. As difficult as that might be. APPLAUSE

But she is starting to just forge a few chances on the Williams serve.

Konta gets down further ground strokes so beautifully. Necessary on

the grass. Smart serving from Venus Williams.

Not giving the angle to Jo. More spin. She has to take that slice

away on big points. APPLAUSE

Excellent approach from Venus. She got low and brushed up beautifully.

The better get in position. She does that little funny pomp with their

elbows before an overhead. It is very peculiar. But she has one of

the best overheads in the game. So another for Venus Williams.

Already, I think you sense it will be a rather close semifinal.

And the quality of hitting from Venus Williams, and a different

level of power from these two. Absolutely, and Venus five-times

champion. This is something she is so accustomed to. And for Johanna

Konta, she is starting to get used to the match situations, and is

proving to be mentally tougher in the last couple of years. Magdelena

Rybarikova seemed to result under the occasion. It is interesting,

that Anne Jones, who won Wimbledon in 69 and a couple of French Opens.

And to the left, Miss Williams, who won in '62 against Sekova's mum.

Wow. It is interesting with Venus Williams, and the series of slams,

she has won but she's been away for a long time. She'll be feeling a few

jitters as well, I'm sure. Again, her father, watching how she

gets down so well. 5ft 11, not as tall as Venus but has the ability,

as you have to have on grass, to get down.

And another line-clipper from Johanna Konta.

Now the second serve eaten up by Venus Williams.

It's really all about first-strike grass court tennis.

Once you get in defensive position, to get that point back to neutral...

You don't see that much from Venus, the approach and moving forward.

Really just trying to take time away from Konta. A tactic.

Great response. Again, it's clutch-serving, as you said.

Again! Wow! Location. The balls are on the centre of service line, which

is even better on the slice. This can truly lift your confidence,

and it's necessary at the moment, as she is feeling the squeeze from

Williams. It is either 30-30 or deuce. But no

break points from the players so far. But Williams has had it much

easier. Too much top-spin on that forehand

return. It needs to be flatter. That's Konta's best shot.

For both players, the forehand is the side that can be more brittle

and you can make more mistakes. Nice return.

Backhand. Right at Williams' feet. She is still busy, covering after

her serve. And effective on any court but

especially here. There for a second serve at 15-30.

Too slow a second serve. Konta got ahead of herself after she hit that

early. So once more for Venus Williams.

But once again, just a few signs from Konta, that she can get

something on the Williams' serve. But Venus Williams is serving pretty

well on the first match. And earlier on it is such a weapon.

A sunny day. It's been close. A little muggy earlier today. But

there they are, basking on the hill. He was quick to be up. The quickest

reaction by a distance! They're all watching themselves on the big

screen. Henman Hill. I no ethat people have

been trying to come up with a name, that it should be alliterative

but... Konta CKopia. You can check it.

The Hill! Well, Johanna Konta, again, as you said, Venus Williams

is serving so well. When you are getting the opportunity you have to

do something with it. Now serving with new balls. No service points,

no break points, for either player. Serving lights out. Half percentage

against Halep, now she is getting them in and hitting aces. It's nice

to get those quick points. Now a decent first serve there but

Williams is equal to it. A short take back on the return. No time for

more. Lock it is with accuracy.

Went for it in the second serve. The second double fault for Konta. Once

again she finds herself at that nervy time, 30-30.

Can't fault the quality of her play when she is under a bit of pressure.

Comes up with a big serve and the backhand just unloads on the front

foot. So flat. It goes through the court.

And again, the response from 30-30 to hold.

It's a lot of corners hit by both players, under pressure.

It is really high quality tennis. Nobody is wilting.

I have a feeling somebody's not going to lose this match, somebody's

going to win it! They're both going for it. That will pay off for one of

them. Venus looking up. That sun is right

where she likes to toss the ball. And the double fault arrives.

She's not happy at all. If she can't move it, a cloud will

be along shortly. Oh, no. No. No. Wow. That's surprising. We rarely

see Venus miss swing volleys. Just completely misjudged this.

Maybe still blinded by the sun from the serve and then looking right

into it again on the volley. I don't know how bright it is out there,

playing against the sun. Well, the first break points arrive.

A return right back at the feet of Venus Williams. And Centre Court

will only get louder. Cover the T serve. The computer

brain is working. One disappears.

What a serve. That was courageous, 106, second serve.

Wow! That's her fastest second serve of the day.

Probably of the tournament. It pays off for Venus Williams. That

is seriously brave tennis from the former champ.

And having seen off those two break points it moves closer now to the

hold. So crucial for Venus to be hitting

her forehand with authority like this. Staying down and committing to

it. Venus Williams weathers the storm.

What opportunities there were for Johanna Konta.

Now with Williams serving first, what pressure there will be on the

serve of couldn't Konta to stay in this first set. A right match on her

hands though. Johanna Konta is really dictating

once the ball is in play. She's got 14 winners, four unforced errors,

Venus Williams eight in five. So Venus has been on the back foot

more. But what a shot that was when break point down, second serve, it

was one of those if you make it, you're a hero, if you miss it, too

much. But she made it. It was tremendous, the second serve.

Now she focuses and regathers. Quite often a very, very difficult

game, when you have come close to breaking, a couple of break points

to try to hold yourself and of course this one to stay in this

first set. A challenge from Konta but it did

look a little heavy-handed. Long from here it looked. I thought

she may try to hit a short ball. But I think she saw Venus at the

baseline and tried to sneak it in at her feet.

The ball spins funny off that court, it's hard to control.

And the pressure grows. Control that forehand side.

Just a little bit of top-spin for control is needed.

You can feel, you can hear Venus Williams stepping up the noise and

the power and suddenly three set points for Venus Williams.

Well, that second serve was so deep! Talk about bravery on second serve.

A loft the crowd had their hearts in their mouths.

It's a good thing. There was a lot of kick on that serve. But the kick

brought it in. So a brave second serve from Jo. Just back on the

line. It's long! And it is the first blow

to Venus Williams in this semifinal. There was a pause as the crowd took

it in. But Venus Williams having stared

down two break points herself, takes the set. And it so often happens at

well like that. It is the great champions who take their

opportunities. . Just the small windows there,

Venus serving at 15-40, then on the second service point, 106, the

fastest serve of the day. It is amazing how quickly the momentum of

a set, of a match can turn. Konta was a little sloppy but Venus

really stepped on the pend there will to put the pressure on Konta.

It will be a tale of that first set, now here in the numbers in the

yellow and the gold in that category. And Venus Williams, up in

most of them. Yeah, the biggest thing is the

second serve points won. As we spoke about before the match, we thought

that Venus' second serve is usually more attackable but this tournament

hitting it well and Johanna Konta with the kick-serve it goes into the

power zone of Venus Williams and she is just a little better on the

second serve that is the difference in the set. Johanna Konta has come

come through a few three-set matches already.

10-8 over the Croatian opponent and against Simona Halep, recently. But

will have to do it again. Coming from a set down against Venus

Williams. She will be chasing this one. Williams will be serving to get

this second set under way. But she has shown so far, Konta, her

mental strength throughout this championship.

Second set Miss Williams to serve. Go Nice serve. Perfectly executed.

Into the right hip instead of the left hip. It's tougher to get out of

the way. And so Konta was committed. Threw it

in behind her. I want to see if Venus starts to

target the Konta forehand a little more. Missing a few critical returns

on that side. Entering the rallies as well.

Now they seem to be missing the second serves and the ball is coming

slower, as she's not timing it right.

A little too eager, aq sharks at which you would like to go down the

middle of the court so, if you go early, the ball will still go in the

court. Venus Williams, to open the second

set. Yes, the floor of the match moves

with Venus Williams, having taken the first set.

And Johanna Konta has to be strong here. But again in a tennis match

there can be so many shifts of momentum, and Johanna Konta will

have to hope that this woman's level dip as little and then she can take

advantage of it. Such positive luck by Konta always.

Staying close to her routines. Well it's one thing to take the

second thing early and chip and charge. It's easier to be running

through the ball with a slice but to hit it on the fourth swing and run

to the net, the timing has to be perfect. But it still sends a

message. Venus Williams is taking the first serve return early as

well. The ball is getting there a little quicker than what Johanna

Konta is used to and missed a few second shots as she's just not ready

for it, the timing is different with Williams inside the court.

Still throwing down the occasional ace.

Nice to see from Jo. Half a dozen aces in this match

alone now. The swell of noise inside Centre

Court trying to lift Konta. I think Venus Williams may ask...

She stepped in, thought she had clipped the line.

Oh, it hit the line, 40 performance 30.

Good challenge. We don't see Venus challenge that

much. She doesn't challenge hardly at all.

She must have seen something that we didn't see.

She's very trusting! It didn't matter in the end. Konta has a game

up there in this second set. Venus is off to find a new weapon.

Surely the players change around the ball, the ball change, seven or

eight games but Venus, in the middle of the match, changes. I guess with

the heat, the ball is flying. Maybe she wants a slightly tighter raquet.

The raqueta lose tension more quickly. We would play with the same

wooden raquets for weeks on end! And as you were mentioning about Konta.

It doesn't matter what stage the match is it, the score, she

approaches it exactly the same way. Well, working with the mental coach

over the last couple of years, has made all the difference in the world

to go back to her routines. To barely look up at the crowd, just

look down at the ground. To go through the montra of what she must

do. Great positioning from Konta inside

the baseline. That body serve is so effective,

especially if you see your opponent start to move in and try to take

your time away. You say, OK, you're going to stand in, I will hit it

right at your body. The contrast with Konta who goes wider down the

line. The groan from the crowd told you

before we saw it. You don't get many opportunities against the great

players, and this is one of those. You just can't make an unforced

error like that, unless you are going for a winner. A couple of

forehands in a row. And the game has gone. We remain on serve in this

second set. Watching Venus Williams's service game but on the

counter service game this is what we have been talking about, the way

Venus Williams imposes herself and is taking things pretty high up the

court. This is where I think Jo Konta is struggling on the second

shot. Just after the serve, you see how fast the ball gets back because

Dennis Williams is sticking every server inside the baseline and every

second serve well inside the baseline, and metre and a half in,

so the ball gets there that much quicker and it is a different

cadence on the second shot which is given Jo trouble. Here it is in

actuality. The split step for balance is great, the only take

back, and the left arm helps ensure that she gets that body turned. Look

at the legs, she uses the legs to absorb the power and yet stay down

and forward. They come back at a pretty hefty speed as well. So Konta

will be facing that now as she serves at 1-2.

Konta just looking to the box before deciding to challenge. It felt wide

from here. Of course, we are about 40 yards from there. It looked wide

when she hit it, and it is wide. UMPIRE: Miss Konta has two

challengers remaining. The hand of apology. Two let cords

in a row, forcing Jo to come in and the second dribbling the ball over

the net. In trouble, 0-30, she must come up with some big serves here.

No, three break points. The double fault, 13 for the entire tournament.

I wonder if that stance is causing some of that.

What a touch. Shot! She was a little slow getting to the backhand but she

did a good job keeping the ball low. What a nice drop volley on a big

point. Will this be the difference in this game? She needs a break.

She's not been lucky in this match so far.

And it's good, just another clip on the net is fine for Konta. Two down,

want to go. She's flirting with the net every shot she hits, her

clearance is so low. Still a break point down, both.

Williams has it now. If Johanna Konta is to make it to this

Wimbledon final she will have to travel a very long road. The first

sign of frustration from Konta that we have seen all day. The backhand

up the line from Williams clipped the net and messed up Konko's timing

there. She has a right to be frustrated, 17 winners, eight

unforced, but Venus Dummett Venus Williams, 6-4, 3-1 up, she has

nothing to show for it. Well-balanced match Venus Williams

has played. There are no chinks in her armour today.

That is a body second serve. It is such a weapon, Konta just getting

out of the way. Three? Miles per hour.

Another body serve. The body serve is effective when the Rich Turner

stands close in so the ball gets there first, and also one big points

because when you are a receiver on a big point you are trying to guess

where the ball will go so you are trying to explode to the ball so the

ball is going right at you and you don't have the mentality to defend,

you want to go for it. Hitting with conviction in the rally

but then the mistake. Beforehand again. -- the forehand.

And again, the second serve from Venus Williams, another hold, moving

along so well, getting closer to the final. There are many, of course,

watching this with British coloured lenses but it's a great story on the

other side of the net as well. Written off by so many, turned 37

last month, and for a long time as well in the shadow of the Serena but

she seems to be playing as well as she ever has done. Absolutely, it

all started here last year getting back to the semifinals, and that

allowed her to get the confidence and get back into the top ten. She

had a good, strong US Open and made the finals again in Australia.

Serena is out with impending motherhood and Sharapova is out and

Azarenka just coming back, Venus thought this was a great opportunity

and has handled the whole situation with the car accident just prior to

the Championships beautifully. When everything is going really well you

are so happy to be playing tennis, yes, I'm playing tennis, and when

things don't go so well in your private life, I still get to play

tennis, so it's kind of an escape one way or the other and Venus

Williams, the old pro that she is, is totally focused on the moment and

handling the pressure beautifully. Konta 1-4.

She will certainly not give up, Johanna Konta, you can guarantee

that. No, but she must organise the forehand, it left the building a few

games ago. She needs to get it back in here. She's missed too many of

those. The backhand is still very much in

the building. It's always been the big weapon, and it's the forehand

that has improved so much from Konta so much in the last couple of years.

But still, not quite matching the backhand quite yet.

Sitting up for Williams to put it away. From a position of some

comfort in this game at 40-0, Williams fighting her way back into

it. And again on the forehand. The

forehand, because of the grip, you have to accelerate on the stroke. If

you don't it will fly along because you have such a severe grip that the

racket just has to come through and that's why that forehand goes a bit

awry, also the bent elbow. It's more difficult to swing freely.

Must hold for Jo Konta, needless to say. Good serve there.

Must hold, and she does. She remains just one break behind. She keeps

some hope alive in this match. They have spent a lot of time on

those. Men and their crayons. Venus Williams, though, 4-2.

That was very alert from Venus to get up there quickly to create that

angle. Amazing speed, she's been covering the ball so well in this

match. Konta is used to getting better payoff after her big shots

Vinci has been getting today. Venus Williams has been covering the court

beautifully today. The little change from Konta, just

drop it a little shorter. Perhaps a change of rhythm. So far it has just

been a slugfest and Venus Williams has been getting the better of it,

but ball low and short. Cut to create your own pace.

My goodness! I thought she was going to pull the trigger down the line

with the backhand, she goes back a crosscourt. Venus Williams sitting

on it. Again, that small window of opportunity, 30-15, getting into the

rally will stop Williams holding steady.

And then the game slips away and you can understand the frustration that

we saw a moment ago from Johanna Konta. She doesn't show too much of

it but she knows it is now or never. The margins are just so small, Konta

getting broken in the tenth game, and getting broken again in the

fourth game in this set, just a few errant forehands. Venus is playing

at the peak of her powers, she is really driving through that

forehand, serving with excellent pace and variety. Fantastic stuff

from Venus Williams and goes to 4-4, 30-42nd serve, Venus goes for the

brave shot, goes for the second serve. It has been all Venus

Williams since then. If she misses that serve Konta would be serving

for the set, a whole different ball game. Just that one shot is a big

one. That ball dribbled off the racket. That's that second serve,

body serve, extremely effective. We thought that would be the case.

Second serve ace Mackem Jo Konta getting out of the way of the ball.

I think it's been a different level of quality to most of the tennis we

saw in the first semifinal but it has been pretty brief as well.

Johanna Konta serving to stay in this match.

Write to the corner. Ace number 57. This is about the only battle Jo has

been winning today, the aces. Everything else, Williams has been

having the upper hand That checked off the baseline right

on the line, the ball slows down considerably when it hits the chalk.

The chalk is more abrasive than the grass. She was way too aggressive.

This time the net favours her, just. They want it to go on, this dream

for Johanna Konta. While the second serve was good, the

follow up not so. Just about the longest game of this

match. The mistake drawn from Johanna

Konta. Does it end here? What a run it has been. Match point, Venus

Williams. Not yet.

That was about the first nervous shock Venus Williams has hit this

whole match. Too much time to think about it. That's probably true.

Hitting the ball extremely hard and well.

Again, the mistake on the forehand. Long it goes. And another

opportunity for Venus Williams to make a Wimbledon final once again.

Good time to find a great first serve.

Double fault once again for Johanna Konta. It brings up a third match

point here on Centre Court. There it is this time. The arms

aloft and the celebration, it is Venus Williams who is back in the

Wimbledon final after so many years. For Konta it ends here. It is a

sight we have seen many times, but not for a very long time at

Wimbledon. Celebrating a semifinal victory, and what they went it was,

what a performance. Johanna Konta did not play badly. And what a run

she has had, what excitement she has brought to so many here. But it is

over now. Not hanging around at the end,

Johanna Konta. I'd like to see her weight for Venus Williams. But she

will sign a few autographs. She will be desperately disappointed that it

is over now because it has been so good for so long. She will be up

into the top five in the world but she desperately wanted to go all the

way here. The match really did turn on that one break point at 4-4,

break point down, Venus Williams, second serve, goes for broke, makes

the serve and she never looked back after that point. It almost relaxed

her, and then she breaks the very next game and ran away with it in

the second set, too solid. Konta could not find the opening that she

normally finds with her big hitting. What a nice site that is, she has

had some difficult times off the court but she is back to enjoying

her play. She will face Garbine Muguruza of Spain. Of all the talk

of Konta, for Venus Williams this place has always felt like home.

Through in straight sets, not long over an hour, straight sets win over

Johanna Konta, 6-4, 6-2. Venus Williams is now talking to Richard

Purcell. Venus, congratulations, your 20th

year at Wimbledon and your first final since 2009. What does that

mean to you? I've played a lot of finals here, it is a blessing for

sub I couldn't have asked for more but I will ask for a little more,

one more win would be amazing, it would be given but I will give it my

all. You were up against the great British hope with the crowd behind

her, how well did you have to play to win? I thought the crowd was very

nice to me, they could have been even more boisterous. I thought the

crowd was so fair and I know that they love Jo and she gave it all

today and it's a lot of pressure. I thought she handled it well. I think

my experienced just helped a lot. You had a lovely smile on your face

when the match was over, what were your feelings when it was over? She

played so well, no point was easy. I just tried to climb on top each time

to get another point and then it was done. I was just so happy. Garbine

Muguruza waits for you in the final on Saturday. What can we look

forward to? We both play well on grass. The last time she played

Serena so I will have to ask her for some pointers. Serena is always in

my corner, and usually it is usually hurt in the final so I'm trying to

represent the Williams as best I can. Have you missed her? Terribly,

I wish she was here and I wish she could do this for me. But this time,

she said, this time you can do it for yourself. You certainly did it

for yourself, well done, Venus. That is how a great champion deals

with a difficult opponent. She played the big points so well and

raised the level of her play when it mattered and it was an awesome power

display in every department of her game. She is back in the final and

looking to be back to her best. She mentioned the crowd and the

appreciation of the crowd. They certainly appreciate everything that

Venus has achieved here at these championships. Big smile from Venus,

she's back in the final for the first time since 2009.

Well, Virginia Wade is here. We thought maybe we would be

celebrating a British player in the final for the first time in 40

years. Virginia, you can't take anything away from Venus. What a

match she played. Venus absolutely loves Wimbledon. She adores

Wimbledon, she likes being here and playing on the Centre Court, she

feels at home. I think what's happened in the last few days with

all of the excitement on the anniversary, you know, it would have

been so much fun to have a British player win on an anniversary year.

But, you know, we noted Jo up with all of this pressure and the others

have just gone under the radar. Nobody has given Venus too much

strife, too much pressure. I think, you know, she said how she missed

three. But frankly I think it's when Serena is not here that she comes

into her own -- she missed Serena. You were watching that match

courtside. Could you feel the tension and think that Jo reacted to

it? I thought she played really well. Every time she had a little

bit of an edge, Venus came up with something better. What we were

saying is that we have been watching Jo beating everybody by taking the

ball early, changing direction so well, just pounding it. But actually

it was Venus he was absorbing the pace and hitting even harder. That

was something that was interesting to observe. I frankly have thought

that Venus has been playing very well this year. You know, her serve

has improved no end. Her Tost used to wander all over the place but now

she is being very consistent. I said to Billie Jean, may be Serena was

giving her some tips. She said, no, she's been out there practising it

herself. The server was immaculate. In the end I thought what Venus also

did really well was she took away the ability of Jo to push her around

by hitting more up the middle. I tell you what, why speak to one

multiple Grand Slam champion when you have got another two waiting in

the commentary box! Martina, we talked about the body serve and what

Venus would do. She served incredibly well. Particularly the

second serve on big points. Really handcuffed Jo Konta, she didn't know

what was coming her way. Conversely, Jo Konta lost, only won 3% of the

points. Venus was really attacking the points. I thought the defence

would be the return of serve, and in the end that's what did it. Venus

serving, how well she served, these were the body blows, not giving Joe

any chance to make a swing on it. She respects Jo so much. She had to

come out and play attacking tennis and go for her service. It was that

106 mph second serve that she saved a break point and really turned the

first set around. She changed this a bit. 52% in the deuce court, but 68%

going down the centre. Johanna really started to miscue in the

forehand return in the first set and Venus picked up on that and started

to target beforehand in some of the longer rallies. That was one of the

aspects that made the difference. Venus felt she could go to that

side. Konta is so solid on the backhand, the contact point is so

repeatable on the backhand. These are really small criticisms but they

make a difference in a match like this where they are both playing so

well. You've really got to hand it to Venus for playing this well at

this highly -- at this highly of a level at 37. Virginia? I want to ask

the girls, don't you think in the last couple of years the return of

serve on the women's game has just improved so dramatically that what

that's done is of course made the second serve very vulnerable. And

what's happened with the guys, I mean, I feel that the girls game is

just a few years behind. But the guys are still throwing in some slow

second service but they got so much action on it that the ball is

kicking way up and the girls haven't quite got that much spin on the

second serve. I couldn't agree more, Virginia. That's when nerves come in

and there are double faults because the women do not have enough spin,

and I'm speaking very generally here, they need to use their hand

more on the second serve to get the second spend, to get the safety.

They had an swing harder, and you will get a Greek reply. -- they can

swing harder. -- you will get a reply. The same at the end of the

match, they need to do it earlier so that you are confident with it and

you can hit it on the big points. That's what made all the difference

for Venus Williams today, she had that serve and it paid off. 106 mph

on the second serve from Venus. When it on a break point. When you say

the best servers in the world, it's not just about pace and location,

it's about when they are able to serve those service at clutch

moments, Venus took a big chance and she was brave there. Brave on her

serve but also one higher forehand. So often it is the forehand that is

the barometer of how confident Venus is. She was really hitting through

that forehand and really committing to it coming into the net, which she

needed to. It is that first strike tennis that she loves grass. The

points are shorter, and it really works well for her. As Martina

pointed out, Venus moves really well today. She held her ground, hiding

the baseline. Konta just absorbing the power, she wasn't able to get in

the angle that she needed to us frequently. With the Venus Williams

forehand, she broke down the Konta week Owen, her forehand. Forehand to

forehand, Venus won those exchanges -- weaker wing. Jo lost confidence

in the forehand, and it cost her. Let's relive some of Venus's great

moments, there were so many of them. She is moving well and hitting the

ball so hard. The first game that Konta was serving already Venus was

three feet inside the baseline. That was sending a message to Konta, look

at that, just attacking the serve. Konta throwing in quite a double

faults today, feeling a bit of stress, under stress, under attack.

-- throwing in four double faults. By cumulative pressure gets too. It

takes 1.2 but a seed of doubt and Europe on a's game sometimes, and

that is what Venus did with the big return of serve -- it takes one

point to put a seed of doubt. Just enough to sway the match. Targeting

the Konta forehand, Venus three in a row and goes behind her. She can see

the backhand was so solid from Konta. This is the break point from

Venus, the fourth game of the second set. Virginia, she was so good,

wasn't she? I mean, even when she was running wide, the Anglesey was

producing, Venus. Venus has got such an incredible wingspan -- the angles

she was producing. She isn't quite as quick as she was ten years ago,

but she sure makes up with that wingspan. What I was impressed with

today was her forehand down the line. Traditionally we've always

thought of both Serena and Venus being so brilliant crosscourt. With

maybe the backhand down the line. But her forehand, she just looked so

natural and easy down the line. Let's talk about how the match was

won. Martina, that game when Jo came out to serve at 5-4, I was saying,

don't think of the score. But it seems like she did think of the

score. Maybe she was thinking of the chance that she had. That is where

you have to forget that and get in the moment. Great opportunity, I'm

only down 5-4 and on serve. She would have been better off not

having had that opportunity at 4-4. You say, OK, I'm in good shape. But

it's hard to not think about it. Just a couple of loose errors there,

down 0-30, and she never could recover. You just can't do that.

This is the thing she is going to learn from it, Tracy. Absolutely.

One thing we have to remember is that Jo Konta had never been past

the second round of Wimbledon and told this year. And then match after

match she came through it and played such clutch tennis, particularly

against Simona Halep in the quarterfinals, she was two points

away from victory. The improvement rate is just a nominal from Jo

Konta. She is young, 26, in tennis terms she is very young. She has

only been in the elite of the past year or two. She is a hard worker

and happy with the support team she has come at the set and all of the

others. Still there is room for improvement and the ceiling is much,

much higher, which is very promising. And you have got to

learn, Virginia, from these big occasions, and this was a huge

occasion, everyone does, do you feel that she is a Grand Slam champion in

the making? Yes, as I said right at the beginning, we sort of said that

she didn't come through on an anniversary year, it has been so

long since we had a winner. But, you know, I think next year she could

make it. Or she could make it to the final. And just progress a little

bit more. I mean, when you look at Rybarikova, how tense she was in her

first semifinal, that didn't happen to Jo, she didn't fall apart at all.

She actually was just beaten by somebody who, as Venus said in her

interview, has a lot of experience, loves being out there, loves playing

on grass, and has been playing well and confident all tournament.

Martina and Tracy, we'll let you go. I promised I wouldn't lock you in

that box any longer! Looking forward to the final between Venus and

Garbine Muguruza. What a glorious match that could be. What's so

interesting about that is that both players played so well in the

semifinal and they have been playing better with each match. The build-up

is tremendous. They are ultra-aggressive and they have been

serving extremely well. That is going to be power tennis at the

maximum. They both like to stand inside the baseline of the returns

of serve. Who is going to give there? They both have good first

serves, very big second serves, they are playing their best tennis right

now. I think we are in for a treat. I think it's going to go three sets,

and I've no idea who is going to win. Thank you both so much for

wonderful commentary, great to listen to you. Virginia, as far as

Jo is concerned, she's got to pick herself up. We know this is going to

hurt. We've been there and we know, you know, it's going to take a long

time to get over this, the memory of it. Yes, I mean it's hard to know

what's going on in her head. In all of our heads we gave her a little

bit over the edge. Nobody predicted that she would have an easy win. But

I think everybody thought that she might just be the better player,

especially if she could make it go to three sets. I don't know, I mean

obviously her head has been so good, her mindset has been excellent. We

know she plays every point is if it's the most important point. But

she did sort of start brushing it. The second set, she did. You could

see her head was going too fast -- start rushing it. She couldn't quite

label is. That's what she has worked on before they sport psychologist.

That is what she used to do before, she tended to panic in a match. It

is easy to panic when Venus is playing that well. I don't think she

can blame has offered all. If you play the best that you can, -- she

should lay herself at all. She was very smart. I would like to see a

little more variety coming to her again. Her serve is superb, but

maybe as we were talking about with Martina, I'm so glad that she agreed

with me, is that a little bit more spin action on the second serve, not

just always going for broke. What we found yesterday, two days ago, with

her match against Halep, they were very Matrin mix, both of them. They

were always giving the same pace off and the Saint Jude actuary off both

sides. -- the same trajectory. Today's game, everybody is so good

that you've got to be able to shove and some spins and some eggs and

some silly shots to mess the other person up. It's what they called

junk shots. Just to mess up the nurse's rhythm. Venus got into a

rhythm, didn't she? -- Venus's rhythm. I found it curious that

Venus tried to slice the ball on the and failed. She persevered and tried

another time, and then it was perfect and then she could utilise

it. Martin also said, you've got to also try things early in the match.

-- Martina. Otherwise you going to your default mode when push comes to

shove, and it's very hard to do anything different. Jo has a good

volley. Let's see her trying to set the ball up and down in a little

bit. I think she will do that. -- come in a little bit. I think she

will be adding to her again. I think she will be very soon trying to do a

few different things, I just feel that about her. Maybe 41 years will

be her number! She is like a sponge, she does that. I'm sure we will see

her competing at the latter stages of Grand Slams for many years to

come. Virginia, we cannot let you go by without going back 40 years. Your

big celebration, take you back to that lovely match there. I know this

story, this is the shot that you are practising with your coach, and it

was the winning shot on the day, while. I know, I was trying so hard!

Don't laugh at my hair, everybody! It took weeks! We couldn't believe

you had had it cut just before the tournament! I've always had long

has. Such special memories. Do you still get goose bumps and the

memories come flooding back? Well, I have to say yes. More than that

forehand return, which as you say, it is something I was being told to

hit a percentage return, that was a percentage return and I got it just

at the right moment. But I liked the shot before when I was flying across

the court on the other side hitting a forehand, because, you know, a

game looks so slow with wooden rackets. But I used to look like I

was fairly athletic! You won other Grand Slams, obviously, but this

one, because of being British, you can understand what Andy Murray has

gone through. Absolutely. It's interesting, the sevens all seem to

work for everybody, right? It was 77, he was 77 years... So, 41, seven

doesn't go into 41... Never might! No, I mean to win Wimbledon is

absolutely superb. You know, last night we had such a lovely time.

Because the chairman had invited the Grand Slam people and the special

guests this year and they gave me some momentum is. They gave me a

beautiful book, gorgeous book, with my name engraved on it and all of

the pictures from 77, something I will treasure. All of the guys who

were special guests, they were almost choked up, we were all choked

up, it was so emotional. Who were the others there? Well, the invited

guests were I guess from 67,... Fred was a little choked up, said a few

words. Rod Laver, obviously. He couldn't make it last night. Really,

I mean people really do get very emotionally involved in Wimbledon.

They love it. It is, you know, then you start telling these stories and

people remember matches that they've played that either they won or they

lost. It's fascinating. I mean, I had another evening with all, Rosa,

who beat me in the semifinal in 1974, which I never forgave her for!

-- with all go. You know, I just love hearing other

people is stories. Basically you live in the present. You get an

opportunity to hark back to some memorable times. In your

documentary, you know, I wasn't worried about what I said, but I

loved listening to Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver and what everybody else

said, Pete Sampras, I mean, it was fabulous. Because everybody grew up

watching, that's where they saw the champions that inspired them there.

I mean, who inspired you? You know, I mean, I was born in England, I

have to stress that I am 100% British! I was born here, but my

family went out to South Africa when I was one-year-old. It was a great

place to play tennis. We came back when I was 15. In those days, we

didn't have television in South Africa. So we would listen to the

radio. And it would be Maria Bueno or South African players of great

calibre, Sandra Reynolds. You know, Wimbledon was everything. From the

first lessons I took when I was about, just before my tenth

birthday, the person who taught me had played at Wimbledon. So that was

like... You played at Wimbledon! So it grows. And when I first came back

to England at 15, we were living in a house up in, just up the road, up

in the village. It was just circumstantial that was where we

lived for six months. The first day, I came and poked my head through the

bars of the gate which was closed. You know, Wimbledon does that to

you. It's just ingrained. Indelibly. And when you were on Centre Court

today, the crowd cheered Jo, did it take you back to 77 and be of age

and that you got? Absolutely. I think they were a bit more out of

control. -- and the ovation that you got. Poor Betty didn't like it. You

sensed it was going the right way. There was no stopping them. You

know, lots of things, the 70s were famous for lots of things. I mean,

it wasn't a great time economic league and this country. But with

the Queen'sCubelli, the Centenary of Wimbledon -- the Queen'sJubilee. It

was such an elevated atmosphere. Golly, there were so many good

players. Sue Barker was playing! Martina Navratilova... You were

playing at your best. I am first on the list! You know, everybody... I'm

not sure that Billie Jean actually played that year, but lots of great

players. Absolutely. The wonderful line at the end of your match,

Virginia will take tea with the Queen, did you? No, Max Robinson...

No, because I think I was... She was otherwise occupied! But I did take

tea with her several times afterwards. Lovely to see you back

here and back on Centre Court in during the tennis. And it's always a

pleasure being with you. And Wimbledon beats everything.

Absolutely, even when you lose in the semis, it's pretty battle, I can

tell you! Thanks to Virginia. We are heading off to Centre Court for a

moment -- it is produced by Shaw. We are going to take you back to last

night. -- it is pretty special. Ken Skupski and Jocelyn Rae are

defeating Max Mirnyi and Ekaterina Makarova, putting out the seeded

team. Wonderful scenes in Court One. I am staying in a house about one

mile away, and I could hear the roar from Court Number One! They are