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Enlarge Photo Venus Williams of the U.S. hits a return to Shahar Peer of Israel during their... Shahar Peer probably realised it would not be her day against an imperious Venus Williams at the Madrid Open when she was ignored by a distracted ball girl.Serving at a set and 2-0 down in her semi-final, the unseeded Israeli had to wave her arms several times before the girl snapped back to attention and tossed her a ball.
The pink-clad Peer lost that service game and her next before slumping to a 6-3 6-0 defeat, her fifth in five matches against the American fourth seed.
"She's just a tenacious player, really talented and never say die spirit," Williams, who will play big-hitting Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai in Sunday's final, told a news conference.
"So I was ready for that and I just seemed to be able to find the corners."
With the roof open on Manolo Santana Centre Court and the clay alternately bathed in sunshine and chilly shadow, Williams reeled off nine straight games to seal victory and looks in great shape for the French Open starting later this month.
She has seven grand slam singles titles to her name but has never won at Roland Garros in 13 attempts, losing to her sister Serena in her only final appearance in 2002.
"Obviously the ultimate is to win the French, and I've come close," she said. "I think I've won every other tournament on clay, so I'd like to take it one more step."
Williams partners Serena in the doubles final against Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta later on Saturday and will regain the number two spot behind her top-ranked sister in the singles rankings when they are updated on Monday.
It will be the first time since May 2003 that the siblings, who have won 19 grand slam singles titles between them, have been one and two since May 2003.
PLACE MERITED
The feisty Rezai, who has Iranian heritage, advanced after Czech Lucie Safarova retired with a hamstring injury having lost the first set 6-1.
Rezai has made rapid progress since hiring Patrick Mouratoglou as coach alongside her former car mechanic father and was bullish about her chances of upsetting Venus.
"I know my game and I know I can go far," she told a news conference. "I think I merit my place and if I am here today it's because I work hard like everyone."
Safarova arrived at her news conference with a large icepack on the back of her left thigh and explained that she had already tweaked the hamstring in Rome last week.
"I hope to get better in a couple of days and start to prepare for the French Open and continue playing as well there," the 23-year-old said.
(Editing by Ken Ferris and Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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