Perhaps Serena realised the magnitude of her folly in the second set itself. Her backhand appeared to be heading for the line, but eventually chose to settle for a spot just wide. She let out a scream of frustration, heard over the raucous crowd. She was down 4-2, and Venus was on a comeback trail.

Fate, in collaboration with her groundstrokes, though, decided to give Serena another chance. She stood firm in front of the barrage her elder sister directed her way, including a match point she faced on her own serve. Serena soaked in everything Venus threw at her, and sent it back with compliments, making her way to the final of the Bangalore Open, where she will be up against Swiss fourth seed Patty Schnyder.

The elder Williams may have been given a headstart on life, but today, it was her younger sister who snuck in and grabbed the lead in their head-to-head standings. Previously tied at 7-7, Serena’s 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) victory in the semi-finals here puts her ahead, till the next encounter at least.

“It was a very hard-fought win, I’ll have to refocus really fast for the final. Both of us are not playing our best tennis, but to be in a final even when I’m not at my best is awesome. I should have taken the first match point, but this was a good win,” said Serena after her victory.

Venus, though, asserted she did all she could. “I felt I played really well, and its hard to win every match.

... contd.