Australian Open-Comparing Venus Williams To A Gorilla

This is what “big babe” tennis looks like.

That was the term Channel Seven’s Rennae Stubbs used to describe what the crowd at Rod Laver Arena and those watching on TV at home were witnessing between Venus Williams and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Both players’ serving was poor, but their hitting was huge. Williams and Pavlyuchenkova pounded their ground strokes, making it increasingly difficult for either of them to stay in a rally for very long when one got the upper hand.

Midway through the second set when Pavlyuchenkova was serving at 1-2 down, the pair had only engaged in a rally longer than nine shots three times. Additionally, just under 40 per cent of the total points played had lasted for four shots or fewer.

“That’s why we are calling it big babe tennis,” Stubbs said. “These two aren’t mucking about. See ball, hit ball.”

Generally with baseline warriors you expect long rallies as the players try and wear each other down, but Williams and Pavlyuchenkova were just hitting so hard that neither could get into the grind.

Venus Williams is the first woman to advance to the Australian Open semi-finals after overcoming Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets 6-4 7-6.