Pironkova upset denies all-Williams final

The path to a fourth Wimbledon title seemed to open up considerably for top seed Serena Williams on Tuesday, with her sister Venus and Kim Clijsters going down to defeat.

Bulgaria's Tszvetana Pironkova shocked five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams on Centre Court, ousting her from the tournament in straight sets.

Pironkova dumped the No. 2 seed 6-2, 6-3. The players split the first four games before Pironkova reeled off the next five to gain control of the match.

"Honestly, I think no one expected me to play semifinal in Wimbledon and to beat Venus Williams like that," Pironkova said. "Coming here I really just wanted to play a good game, to maybe win one or two rounds.

"I still cannot believe that I reached the semifinals. This is truly like a dream to me."

Pironkava is the first woman from her country to make the Wimbledon semis, something not even accomplished by the famed trio of Maleeva sisters in the 1980s-90s.

Pironkova's surprise win, followed in short order by a Vera Zvonareva victory over Kim Clijsters, ensured that there would be three first-time Wimbledon semifinalists, and a new face to the Wimbledon final.

Peta Kvitova of the Czech Republic rounded out that list by outlasting Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, 4-6, 7-6 (8), 8-6. Kanepi held a 3-0 lead in the final set but couldn't hold on.

Serena Williams did her part in fighting off the upset bug against Na Li of China, winning 7-5, 6-3.

She will face Kvitova, with two matches to go for a fourth career Wimbledon title and a 13th Grand Slam win overall.

Williams didn't want to hear about the fact there were two unseeded players in the final four, as well as No. 21 seed Zvonareva.

"It's not mine to lose, it's mine to win if I can get it," Williams said. "There's three other people that are vying to win it. They have just as good a chance as I do."

The 22-year-old Pironkova displayed poise throughout, and was aided by a spate of Venus Williams misfires.

Williams fought off two match points in the penultimate game of the match, and when the Bulgarian lost the first point on her serve in the following game, it looked like nerves were coming to the fore.

But Pironkova regrouped for the next four points, with Williams sending a volley wide to end the match. Williams committed 29 unforced errors in the match.

"I just didn't get enough balls in today," said Williams. "I let it spiral and didn't get any balls in. I had a lot of opportunities, a lot of short balls and I seemed to hit each one out.

"If there was a shot to miss, I think I missed it."

Pironkova came into the tournament ranked 82nd in the world. Taiwan's Lu Yen-Shun, ranked 82nd on the men's tour, upset three-time Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick on Monday.

Sisters seek 5th Grand Slam doubles title

Pironkova had never been past the second round of a Grand Slam before, but reached the quarters with a win over 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France.

Williams was aiming for a ninth Wimbledon singles final. She has met younger sister Serena in four of those finals.

The American sisters are also going for a fifth consecutive Grand Slam doubles title.

Pironkova or Zvonareva will advance to Saturday's final. The Russian reached her second Grand Slam semifinal by rallying over Clijsters of Belgium. 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

"It's too bad I wasn't able to come up with my best at the important time in the match," Clijsters said. "She did. She was very consistent, didn't give me any easy mistakes. I gave her a few too many."

The No. 8 seed Clijsters was marking her return to Wimbledon after a four-year absence that included retirement and childbirth. The grass court tournament is the only Grand Slam in which she hasn't reached the final.