EVEN Richard Williams cannot pick a winner as his daughters prepare to do battle for a fourth time in the Wimbledon final.
Venus defeated younger sister Serena 12 months ago to lift her fifth Wimbledon crown and has enjoyed the smoother run to the final.
They are locked at 10-10 in previous meetings, and Richard Williams, who introduced his daughters to tennis at the
age of five and remains their coach, admits today's showdown is finely balanced.
"I picked Andy Roddick on the men's side and I picked the Williams sisters on the women's side," he said. "Which one, it doesn't make a difference because the trophy is coming to the house. It's hard to say (who is playing the better]. I wouldn't pick one of them."
The sisters reached the final in contrasting style, Serena taking 11 minutes short of three hours to see off Elena Dementieva and Venus just 51 minutes to beat world No1 Dinara Safina in Thursday's semi-finals.
"Serena didn't play well yesterday," admitted her father. "She looked like a beginner, she was falling down half of the time. It takes nerves and guts to do what she did. It was the best match I've seen her play because she did not hit the ball well, but I didn't enjoy it at all.
"Watching Venus's match was more relaxing – and better for my heart too! It's the best that Venus has played consistently for a long time, but Venus is in a position to play better than she has been playing.
"She can hit that forehand down the line so well, she can come over the forehand and take you off the court. And right now, there's no-one hitting a backhand like Venus. She hits a backhand like picking up a piece of corn bread."
Whatever the outcome, the Venus Rosewater Dish is sure to take up residence in the Williams household for the eighth time in the past ten years. Yet, as his daughters do battle for the most glamorous of the four Grand Slam titles, Williams senior will maintain his steadfast refusal to watch and, instead, will be on a flight back to the United States. And he is going to great lengths to avoid knowing the result.
"Lots of times I've had to tell the captain of the aeroplane not to tell me the score, but last year he came and told me. So this time I'm flying a different aeroplane and I'm going to say to him: 'Please don't tell me.'"
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDSERENA and Venus have a head-to-head record of 10-10.
• 2009 Miami, Serena won 4-6, 6-3, 3-6
• 2009 Dubai, Venus won 6-1, 2-6, 7-6
• 2008 WTA Tour Championship, Venus won 5-7, 6-1, 6-0
• 2008 US Open, Serena won 7-6, 7-6
• 2008 Wimbledon, Venus won 7-5, 6-4
• 2008 Bangalore, Serena won 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
• 2005 US Open, Venus won 7-6 6-2
• 2005 Miami, Venus won 6-1, 7-6
• 2003 Wimbledon, Serena won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
• 2003 Australian Open, Serena won 7-6, 3-6, 6-4
• 2002 US Open, Serena won 6-4, 6-3
• 2002 Wimbledon, Serena won 7-6, 6-3
• 2002 French Open, Serena won 7-5, 6-3
• 2002 Miami, Serena won 6-2, 6-2
• 2001 US Open, Venus won 6-2, 6-4
• 2000 Wimbledon, Venus won 6-2, 7-6
• 1999 Grand Slam Cup, Serena won 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
• 1999 Miami, Venus won 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
• 1998 Italian Open, Venus won 6-4, 6-2
• 1998 Australian Open, Venus won 7-6, 6-1
