The five-time Wimbledon champion played a nearly perfect match to down Britain’s Johanna Konta in straight sets and book her ninth trip to the Wimbledon final and her second major final of the year. Using ferocious body serves, judicious approach shots, and her typical powerful groundstrokes, Williams beat the crowd favorite 6-4, 6-2.
The first set was close; Williams faced two break points at 4-4, but managed to hold, then—thanks to a series of errors from Konta—broke serve to win the set. Not that you could tell from her reaction.
Early in the first game of the second set, it was clear Konta didn’t stand a chance. Konta hit a tightly angled forehand that would surely have been a winner against another player. Williams, though, not only got to the ball, she managed to wrap her racket all the way around it and send the ball back across the court at an even sharper angle than what came to her.
She held serve, then broke Konta in the fourth game to go up 3-1. On her next service game, she did this:
Williams didn’t face a single break point the entire second set. Then in the eight game of the set, she broke Konta’s serve again with well-placed forehand up the line to win the match.
Williams will play Garbiñe Muguruza in the final. She’s already incredible.