Serena Williams of U.S. reacts to a point won against Elena Dementieva of Russia during their semifinal match on centre court at Wimbledon, Thursday, July 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
(AP) — Serena Williams has rallied to beat Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 and reach the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row.
The two-time Wimbledon champion saved a match point with a backhand volley while trailing 5-4 in the third set of Thursday’s semifinal.
Williams dominated on her serve in the first set after being broken in the first game of the match, but she couldn’t hang on in the tiebreaker. In the second, Williams went up a break early but allowed Dementieva back into the match before breaking again.
Dementieva has never won a Grand Slam title. She lost in the final of the French Open and the U.S. Open in 2004.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
