Serena is favored among women

Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England

Williams vs. Williams won’t happen in this year’s Wimbledon final.

Kvitova vs. Pironkova remains a possibility.

Wimbledon’s female final four will take the grandest stage in tennis today, and for this quartet, there’s no debating the headliner. Call the group Serena and the Other Semifinalists.

No. 1-ranked Serena Williams will play unseeded Petra Kvitova, and No. 21-seeded Vera Zvonareva will face unseeded Tsvetana Pironkova.

Say again?

“Every year there are so many new players, and so many new faces,” Williams said. “I think it’s good, because it keeps the sport exciting.”

This lineup’s a head-scratcher, though, and not just because five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams is missing. For the first time in three years, the final won’t be an all-Williams affair.

Also eliminated before the semifinals were Grand Slam champions Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.

Still in contention are four players with a combined 12 major championships and three Wimbledon titles. All belong to Williams.

The No. 21-ranked Zvonareva, No. 62-ranked Kvitova and No. 82-ranked Pironkova were a combined 12-13 lifetime at the All England Club before this year. None has ever reached a Grand Slam final.

So what’s going on here?

“You don’t get to a quarter or a semifinal by luck, so they can obviously hit the ball hard,” Clijsters said. “I really feel there are a lot of girls out there who can make it really hard for the top players, maybe just not on a consistent basis.

“It’s good to see new names doing well at the Grand Slams. These are all girls who have beaten a lot of good players in the past, but probably not in the spotlight.”